Tony Markellis Wiki – Tony Markellis Biography
Tony Markellis was a bassist and record producer from Helena, Montana, residing in Saratoga Springs, New York until his death. Markellis was best known as the bass guitarist for the Trey Anastasio Band and various other groups led by Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio.
In his forty-seven year career, he played blues, folk, jazz, rock, country, and bluegrass with musicians such as Trey Anastasio, Paul Butterfield, The Mamas & the Papas, Johnny Shines, David Bromberg, David Amram, Paul Siebel, Rosalie Sorrels, Eric Von Schmidt, Ellen McIlwaine, Mary McCaslin, Railbird, Jo Henley, and Floodwood. Markellis was a founding member of the groundbreaking Vermont-based jazz-fusion group Kilimanjaro, as well as the Unknown Blues Band featuring Big Joe Burrell.
In the late 1990s, Markellis became the first member of the first solo band of Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio, forming the rhythm section with drummer Russ Lawton. Including his work with Anastasio, Markellis has appeared on over one hundred albums. In addition to tours with the Trey Anastasio Band, he was working with Kilimanjaro, singer/songwriters Michael Jerling and Bob Warren, Ghosts of the Forest (a Phish/TAB hybrid), Mardi Gras carnival funk band Krewe Orleans, and occasionally with Americana band Jo Henley.
On June 20, 2010 (Fathers Day), Tony was invited on stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) to play bass with Phish on “Gotta Jibboo” (one of the songs he co-wrote with Trey and Russ Lawton for the Trey Anastasio Band). Phish’s bassist, Mike Gordon played the second guitar during the song.
Tony Markellis Age
Tony Markellis’s age is unknown.
Cause of Death
News broke of the bassist’s passing on April 30, with his nephew Cory Markellis writing, “Uncle Tony. My hero. You will forever be remembered as one of the greatest. I can’t even begin to find the words to describe your legacy. Such a brilliant, passionate, talented, hardworking, intelligent person. You’ve been one of my greatest influences, and have made such a positive impact on our lives. Such a kind, inspiring soul. Life won’t be the same without you.”
A close musical friend of Trey Anastasio, Markellis joined the Phish guitarist’s earliest solo band – 8 Foot Florescent Tubes – in 1998 alongside Russ Lawton and later became a mainstay and driving force of the Trey Anastasio Band.
“Tony Markellis passed away yesterday,” Anastasio wrote, after hearing the news. “He was a truly remarkable human being. He was kind and had a sweetness to his personality, and he was the saddest bass player I’ve ever heard. I loved Tony, and I always will. I’m having a hard time processing this. Tony was the heartbeat to so much of my life, and to the lives of so many others… I was very lucky to have had a very long phone conversation with Tony only a few days ago. We talked for almost two hours. We caught up on family, friends, and funny pandemic thoughts. It wasn’t often that we talked on the phone like that. I had no idea it would be our last conversation. Now it feels like it happened for a reason.”