Jeff "Skunk" Baxter
| Jeff Baxter | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born |
December 13, 1948 Washington, D.C., United States |
| Genres | Rock, jazz-rock, blue-eyed soul |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer, military advisor |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Capitol, Glass Records, Arista |
| Associated acts | The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, Ultimate Spinach, The Best, Bobby and the Midnites |
Jeffrey Allen "Skunk" Baxter (born December 13, 1948) is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s and Spirit in the 1980s. More recently, he has been working as a defense consultant and chairs a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense.
He was born in Washington, D.C.
While working at Manny's Music Shop in Manhattan in 1966, Baxter met guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who was just beginning his career as a frontman. For a short period during that year, Baxter was the bassist in a Hendrix-led band called Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, along with fellow Manny's employee Randy California. Baxter also worked as a guitar tech and amplifier repairman at Jack's Drum Shop on Boylston Street in Boston.
Baxter graduated from the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut and enrolled at the School of Public Communication (now College of Communication) at Boston University in September 1967, where he studied journalism while continuing to perform with local bands.
Baxter first reached a wide rock audience in 1968 as a member of the psychedelic rock band Ultimate Spinach. Baxter joined the band for their third and final album, titled III. After leaving the band, he played with the Holy Modal Rounders and backed singer Buzzy Linhart.
After the breakup of Ultimate Spinach, Baxter relocated to Los Angeles, finding work as a session guitarist. In 1972 he became a founding member of the band Steely Dan, along with guitarist Denny Dias, guitarist-bassist Walter Becker, keyboardist-vocalist Donald Fagen, drummer Jim Hodder and vocalist David Palmer (and session player Elliott Randall on various tracks).
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