Bill Vitt (May 6, 1943 - July 16, 2019, aged 76) was an American drummer and keyboardist. He worked extensively as a live performer and as a session musician. In the 1970s he played with Brewer & Shipley, Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, and the Sons of Champlin.
He retired from the music business in the 1980s, but became active again in the 2000s, playing live shows and recording albums. He played the music that he loved until his death. He died with his adoring daughter, Aura, by his side, grateful and content with the life he led
Discography Tarkio – Brewer & Shipley – 1970 Danny Cox – Danny Cox – 1971 Hooteroll? – Howard Wales and Jerry Garcia – 1971 Heavy Turbulence – Merl Saunders – 1972 Rural Space – Brewer & Shipley – 1972 Tom Fogerty – Tom Fogerty – 1972 Excalibur – Tom Fogerty – 1972 Fillmore: The Last Days – various artists – 1972 (as a member of Sons of Champlin) Casting Pearls – Mill Valley Bunch – 1972 Fire Up – Merl Saunders – 1973 Live at Keystone – Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Bill Vitt – 1973 Keystone Encores – Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Bill Vitt – 1988 Fire Up Plus – Merl Saunders and Friends – 1992 ASAP – David Collini – 1992 Keepers – Merl Saunders – 1997 Side Trips, Volume One – Howard Wales and Jerry Garcia – 1998 Garcia Plays Dylan – Jerry Garcia – 2005 Well-Matched: The Best of Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia – Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia – 2006 State of Grace – Bill Vitt – 2008 Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings – Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia – 2012 Back At It Again – Keystone Revisited – 2013 Garcia Live Volume Six – Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders – 2016 Garcia Live Volume Nine – Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders – 2017 Garcia Live Volume 12 – Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders – 2019 Garcia Live Volume 15 – Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders – 2020
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