Speedy Sparks obit

Miller ‘Speedy’ Sparks, Texas Tornados Bassist and Austin Music Legend, Dies at 79

Speedy Sparks, a notable Texas bass player born in Houston in 1945, has died at 79. He was a strong influence on the Austin and Texas music scenes.

 

He was not on the list.

Speedy Sparks, a notable Texas bass player born in Houston in 1945, has died at 79. He was a strong influence on the Austin and Texas music scenes. When the announcement of his death came on Oct. 7, he was contracted up surrounded by tributes from musicians and fans statewide.

Sparks was best known as a key member of the GRAMMY-winning Texas Tornados, the influential supergroup formed in 1989 by Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender, Flaco Jiménez, and Augie Meyers. The band received international fame, winning a GRAMMY for Best Mexican-American Performance in 1990. Sparks continued to play alongside Sahm until Sahm's death in 1999, while also recording a number of albums and sustaining a close musical relationship that advanced his own career as a composer and arranger. 

Before and after his tenure with the Tornados, Sparks performed with numerous groups, including The Texas Mavericks, Teddy and the Tall Tops, and his own band, demonstrating his versatility and dedication to Texas roots music. He also worked with musicians like Sterling Morrison from the Velvet Underground, Joe King Carrasco, and the Sir Douglas Quintet.

In 1972, Sparks moved to Austin and established himself in the music community, and was an influence on younger musicians, including brothers Charlie and Will Sexton. His low-key, groove-oriented way of playing the bass, drawing on a range of blues, country, and 1950s rock and roll styles, established him as one of Texas' most respected musicians.

He was twice recognized by the Austin Chronicle as “Best Bass Player” in 1995 and 1996 and was honored as a “Texas Music Legend” in 2020.

“Understated, grooveful, foundational — elevating,” is how Saustex Records owner Jeff Smith described Speedy's playing upon his passing. “Speedy knew how to listen and how to lay it down in the mode of Jimmy Reed style blues — deceptively melodic and shaded with nuance. If someone were to ask me to point to anyone I think/thought was a great bass player, Speedy would be at the top of my list. He intuitively knew exactly what and how much to play, no matter the style of the song.”

Sparks' influence remains deeply felt in Texas dance halls and Austin bars, where his sound continues to inspire generations of musicians.