Livewire

Tony is the Bassist and Vocalist for Southern Heat, born and raised in Independence, LA. He currently resides in Ponchatoula, LA with his wife and kids. He has very eclectic musical tastes, and dislikes very few genres, but Rockin’ Blues is by far his favorite style of music. There are many bassists that have shaped him over the years, but his major influences are James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones, Berry Oakley, Allen Woody, and Oteil Burbridge.

Tony was born into a musical family, and his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncles all played music and sang. He says that he was born a musician and learned to play his first instrument (guitar) at age 7. From that time on, he played every Sunday at church with his Father and Grandfather until he was about 30 years old and moved to Ponchatoula.

At age 10, he found his father’s bass in a closet, and when he played it for the first time, he knew that was the instrument for him. Around the same time, Tony picked up his grandfather’s instrument and learned to play trumpet in the middle school band. He also learned to play Baritone and Tuba and it was at that time when he learned to read music.

When he was 12 years old, he got his first taste of live music, when Nick's father let him sit in for a few songs with Southern Spice, and he was hooked. Tony's father was in Southern Spice with Nick's family, and that is how Nick and Tony knew each other. Tony learned all of their songs, and when he was 16 years old, he filled in for Nick’s dad for about 6 months, while he was working out of town.

In high school, Tony played bass in the Independence High School band. He also formed a few bands with friends over those years in high school. After high school, Tony immersed himself in music, spending countless hours learning and practicing. It was at this time, when he learned to play piano, as well as drums on his brother’s set.

In 1997, Tony and Keith met while answering an ad for a guitarist and bassist. They went on to be in several bands together over the years. In 2006, Tony joined Joey Drago and Hot Down South, and played with Joey until he died in 2012. It was in his time with Joey that Tony was fortunate enough to back artists such as Rockin' Dopsie Jr, Al Carnival Time Johnson, and Jean Knight, and open for Leon Russell at the Texas Club.

Tony then stepped away from playing music for almost ten years to focus on his career and raise his young family. During his hiatus from playing music, Tony listened to lots of different kinds of music, and studied music theory to learn the why behind everything he had been playing by ear for years. He joined back up with Keith in the Delta Dirt band in 2021, which later became Livewire, and is now Southern Heat. His workhorse approach in the powerhouse rhythm section of Southern Heat, is what creates the groove that makes you wanna move!