Amos Garrett. Guitarist, singer, trombonist, born in Detroit on 26 Nov 1941. Amos played lead guitar 1968-70 for Ian and Sylvia (appearing on their groundbreaking country-rock LP, Great Speckled Bird). Moving to Woodstock, NY, in 1970, Amos toured and/or recorded with Maria Muldaur, Paul Butterfield's Better Days, Todd Rundgren, Jesse Winchester, and others. His solo on Muldaur's 1974 hit 'Midnight at the Oasis' is considered a classic of its kind and is typical of the style that has been highly influential on other pop, rock and blues guitarists. After two years in Boston, Amos lived 1976-89 in the San Francisco area. He continued with Maria Muldaur until 1978, worked as a studio guitarist, and eventually formed an Alberta-based band, the Eh! Team. Garrett had five albums issued 1978-88 in Canada under the Edmonton label Stony Plain: Amos Garrett & Geoff Muldaur (SPFF-1012), Go Cat Go (SPL-1034), Amosbehavin' (SPL-1053), The Return of the Formerly Brothers (SPL-1104), and I Make My Home in My Shoes (SPL-1132). The second-last, a collaboration with the singer, guitarist and organist Doug Sahm and the pianist Gene Taylor, received the inaugural Juno Award for best roots/traditional album in 1989. That same year Garrett took up residence in Turner Valley, near Calgary. The Garrett/Sahm/Taylor band recorded a second album, Live in Japan (SPCD-1164), in 1990. Amos' discography also includes recordings with Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Anne Murray, and Bonnie Raitt. For many years, Amos organized and led the House Band at the hugely popular Edmonton Folk Music Festival, assembling musicians to support headlining artists who attended without a band.
