Timothy Bruce Schmit (born October 30, 1947) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He has performed as the bassist and vocalist for rock bands Poco and Eagles, having replaced Randy Meisner in both cases. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Eagles.
Timothy Bruce Schmit was born on October 30, 1947 in Oakland, California.[1] He was raised in Sacramento, and began playing in the folk music band Tim, Tom & Ron[1] at the age of 15. That group evolved into a surf band called the Contenders, then changed its name to the New Breed (sometimes known simply as "the Breed"). As the New Breed, they had a major local hit in Sacramento: the Animals-inspired "Green Eyed Woman," which was released in 1965 and hit No. 1 on local top-40 outlet KXOA. (The track also charted on isolated stations in Virginia and Indiana.) A few more local-only hits followed, before the group changed its name once again to Glad. The group recorded their sole studio album Feelin' Glad in 1968.[2]
In 1968, Schmit auditioned for Poco but was turned down in favor of founding member Randy Meisner. When Meisner quit the band in 1969, Schmit replaced him on bass guitar and backing vocals.[3] He appeared on nine of Poco's studio albums and two live albums between 1969 and 1977, composing numerous songs. He wrote and was the lead vocalist on the song "Keep on Tryin'," Poco's biggest hit single to that point, peaking at No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975.
In 1977, Schmit joined the Eagles after the tour in support of their fifth studio album Hotel California (1976), replacing Randy Meisner on bass guitar and backing vocals, as he had done in Poco, after Meisner quit. Although the Eagles are thought of as a quintessential California band, Schmit is the only member of the group who is actually a native of California.[7][8]
In 2007, the Eagles released their seventh studio album, Long Road Out of Eden. Schmit continued to be part of the Eagles lineup along with Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Joe Walsh until Frey's death in 2016 and is in the current Eagles touring lineup featuring Vince Gill, and Frey's son Deacon.
Schmit teamed with his predecessor in both Poco and the Eagles, Randy Meisner, along with their mutual Eagles bandmate Joe Walsh, to provide backing vocals to the Richard Marx 1987 hit "Don't Mean Nothing". Schmit also performed on the Toto hit single "I Won't Hold You Back", and the Jars of Clay song "Everything in Between". He also played on Glenn Shorrock's debut solo studio album, Villain of the Peace (1982). He sang harmony and backing vocals on Dan Fogelberg's eighth studio album Windows and Walls (1984). In 1988 he added backing vocals to Sheena Easton's ninth studio album The Lover in Me and in 1989 Schmit added backing vocals on the Stacey Q single, "Heartbeat", which was featured on her third studio album, Nights Like This. He also sang backing vocals on America's ninth studio album Alibi (1980).
In 1993, he contributed backing vocals to several tracks on Clint Black's fourth studio album No Time to Kill, including the title track. In 1996, he sang on a cover version of the Beach Boys' song "Caroline, No" on their eighth studio album Stars and Stripes Vol. 1, with the Beach Boys themselves contributing harmonies. In 2000, he toured with Dan Fogelberg; recordings from that tour became a live album, Dan Fogelberg Live. Schmit sang harmony on the title track of Katy Rose's debut studio album, Because I Can, produced by fellow Poco alumnus and Katy's father, Kim Bullard.
In September 1987, Schmit released his second solo studio album, Timothy B through MCA Records. The album peaked at No. 106 on the Billboard 200 chart, and the single, "Boys Night Out", hit No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Schmit's best selling single. The album was mostly produced by Richard Rudolph with co-production by Bruce Gaitsch.
In July 1990, he released his third solo studio album Tell Me the Truth, which failed to chart, and would be his last studio album for eleven years until Feed the Fire (2001).
Schmit's fifth solo studio album, Expando, was released in October 2009. In May 2012, Schmit was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the Berklee College of Music.[9] His sixth studio album Leap of Faith was released on September 23, 2016, the first release of an Eagles member since the death of bandmate Glenn Frey in January 2016. His seventh studio album Day by Day was released on May 6, 2022.
In 1995, Schmit sang the song "How Far I'll Fly" for the ending credits to the Australian family adventure film Napoleon.
Personal life
Schmit has three children: a daughter by his first wife and a daughter and son by his present wife.[10] He was successfully treated for throat and neck cancer in late 2012.[11][12]
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