Schermie, Joe (12th February 1946-25th March 2002)

He was a bass guitarist and singer-songwriter born Joseph Edward Schermetzler in Madison, Wisconsin, to a family where his parents had been on vaudeville and later owned their own nightclub. While still young he learned to play the drums and the bass guitar and also sang.

He moved to Phoenix, Arizona, with his family and started to perform locally with various groups. This led him to meeting and becoming friends with the singer Cory Wells and finding himself as a member of the original line up of Three Dog Night. With them saw success with hits such as “One”, “Shimbala”, “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” and “Joy to the World”.

He decided to branch out in 1973 so left the group to form S.S. Fools with whom he recorded an album. He did some session work and touring and after Chuck Negron from Three Dog Night formed his own band during the 1990s he perform with them on occasion. Also during the 1990s he got together with the ex-Three Dog Night drummer Floyd Sneed and co-founded the group K.A.T.T (Katt and the Time Trippers) who would be the band he recorded his last album with.

During the course of his career he worked with artists that include Yvonne Elliman, Kim Fowley, Bobby Kimball and Stephen Stills, who recorded his song “First Things First”.

In March 2002 he suffered a fatal heart attack in California. He was just 56 years old.

Three Dog Night recordings
Joy to the World (Hoyt Axton )
Old Gold OG-9795-B (UK 45)

Sources:

Schermie, Joe (12th February 1946-25th March 2002)

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