While playing on a Shannon album that Tom Petty was producing (Drop Down And Get Me), Epstein impressed Petty with his ability. Epstein also came into his own as a producer in the Nineties, displaying a knack for creating rural pop as catchy as it was rootsy. Tom Petty commended Epstein on his collaborative efforts: You gotta love him, I don't know if I ever tell him how good he is. In later interviews, Tom Petty admitted that Epstein's behavior had become unpredictable: "He was just degenerating on us to the point where we thought keeping Howie in the band was actually doing him more harm than getting rid of him. [1] Epstein often visited the music studios, watching his father work and occasionally making recordings under his father's watchful eye at a very young age. He is known for his work on Band of the Hand (1986), She's the One (1996) and Powwow Highway (1989). “It’s sad,” Petty said at the time of Epstein’s departure from the Heartbreakers. Investigators were told Epstein had been using heroin. Last May Petty and the Heartbreakers replaced him with Ron Blair (the band’s original bassist whom Epstein took over for twenty years ago) for a summer tour, due to “his ongoing personal problems.” Among those problems was a June 2001 arrest in Albuquerque in which Epstein and then-girlfriend Carlene Carter were picked up for driving a stolen sports utility vehicle and possession of black tar heroin. Born in Milwaukee in 1955, Epstein’s first big break came playing bass for John Hiatt in the late-Seventies, appearing on the singer-songwriter’s 1980 release, Two Bit Monsters, a year before he jojined Del Shannon on the rock legend’s 1981 album Drop Down and Get Me. It made me feel great, 'cause I know he was thinking the same thing, 'I know he's tired, I'll cover him. [6], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "This Day in Music Spotlight: The Heartbreaking Loss of Howie Epstein : February 23, 2003", "Howie Epstein Dies — Bassist played with Tom Petty for twenty years", "Howie Epstein, Bassist for Tom Petty, Dies at 47", "Former Tom Petty Bassist Howie Epstein Dies At 47", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Howie_Epstein&oldid=982860278, Deaths by heroin overdose in the United States, Articles needing additional references from April 2015, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2015, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 10 October 2020, at 20:22. And you just can't imagine that beautiful tree isn't there anymore. Howie Epstein (born July 21, 1955, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA – died February 23, 2003, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA) was an American musician best known as bassist with Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up the Plantation - Live! Wham! “We all feel bad about it. As IMDb celebrates its 30th birthday, we have six shows to get you ready for those pivotal years of your life ... your 30s. Howard Norman Epstein (July 21, 1955 – February 23, 2003)[1] was an American musician best known as a bassist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. On the day of his death, Howie was driven to St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe, New Mexico by his girlfriend, who described him as "under distress". Howie Epstein was born on July 21, 1955 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA as Howard Norman Epstein. ", At the time of his passing, Epstein was survived by his brothers, Craig and Bradley Epstein, and daughter, Jamie Leffler, now a member of indie rock band Dwntwn. Everyone listens to what everyone else is doing musically. Petty also kept Epstein close-by for his two solo releases, 1989’s Full Moon Fever and 1994’s Wildflowers. I was thinking, 'Oh boy, I hope I can do this ... ' I got to it and I heard Howie singing it with me over his mic. Epstein played bass on recordings by Eric Andersen, Bob Dylan,[4] Carlene Carter, Johnny Cash, John Hiatt, Stevie Nicks, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, John Prine, Linda Ronstadt, Del Shannon, The Textones, The Village People and Warren Zevon. Epstein was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,[1] and grew up in a musical household. He recalled, "I would go into the bars with my father to check out the bands he was thinking of working with, and a couple of times he let me use groups he was working with as back-up musicians for stuff I'd record. Sign up for our newsletter. He also made guest spots, playing bass on albums by Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon and Stevie Nicks in the Eighties. “He took two years out of his life and dedicated his undivided attention to the making of two of my records. He's a good bass player, a real good singer, and he fit in real well." "I had a tendency to play real busy, from all the years of playing rhythm guitar". We want to hear from you! Three years later, Epstein produced Carter's follow-up CD, Little Love Letters. “It’s difficult to put into words how much we loved him and will miss him. "He seemed to have a real good feeling for what we were doing. Epstein was brought to the Santa Fe hospital by an unidentified female companion, who reportedly said he had been using heroin. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Howie played mostly rhythm guitar or mandolin and sang in a number of both rock and roll and country Milwaukee bands[1] that were regionally popular, including MHB Experience, Egz, Winks, Forearm Smash, and The Craze. He died on February 23, 2003 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. A cause of death has not yet been given, but Epstein had battled substance abuse problems for years. He made his final appearance with the band when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2002.[2]. Carter's vocals on the title track "I Fell In Love" earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1991. [4][6] MTV News reported that Epstein's death was caused by a heroin overdose. therockman,Dec 14, 2010 Epstein joined Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers in 1982, replacing Ron Blair who had enough of touring. Howie Epstein was born on July 21, 1955 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA as Howard Norman Epstein. He earned acclaim as a songwriter and a producer. [But] it just had to happen.”, In This Article: Epstein agreed that the transition of playing in these obscure bands to becoming part of a very popular, very established band was almost seamless.

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