A.J. KELLY ON THE BASS
BIO
Raised on a steady diet of the roots of Rock 'N Roll and Rhythm & Blues, A.J. Kelly's in-the-pocket, rock solid style developed quickly. After touring the Midwest with his father, James Merideth (a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame), Kelly moved to the San Francisco Bay area and immediately landed a job with the Alameda All-Stars. There, he played with music greats such as Gregg Allman , Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), Viv Savage , (Spinal Tap) and Danny Chauncey (.38 Special).
Shortly thereafter, A.J. moved across the Bay to join the legendary Johnny Nitro & The Doorslammers . "It was under his tutelage that I came into my own", explains Kelly. "He is the master." With The Doorslammers, Kelly had the privilege to perform with Charlie Musselwhite , Rick Estrin , Tommy Castro , Luther Tucker , Rusty Zinn , Kenny Dale Johnson (Chris Isaak), Jimmy Pugh (Robert Cray Band), Francine Reed (Lyle Lovett), and Neil Finn (Crowded House).
After the release of two CD's and countless gigs ( "Car Fixin' Blues" with Johnny Nitro & The Doorslammers and then "You Done Did It" with Michael Locke ). Kelly moved to the great state of Texas. He spent a year playing the blues clubs in Austin , but left for Miami to hook up with fellow ex-Doorslammer Michael Locke. Currently Kelly is freelancing with several bands in South Florida such as: The Albert Castiglia Band , Slip & The Spinouts , and The Sideburns . His merciless grooves and intoxicating feel add the necessary spices to keep any band bubbling like a big pot of gumbo on "10".