Roland Bautista was an American guitarist and session musician who was a former member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire.[1] In his career Bautista also worked with artists such as Tom Waits, The Jackson 5, Ramsey Lewis, Randy Crawford and George Duke.
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(May 30, 1951 – February 29, 2012)
Bautista played on the 1972 Earth, Wind & Fire album Last Days and Time, but left the band soon after that album's release and subsequently released two solo albums on ABC Records, 1977's Bautista and The Heat Of The Wind which was released in 1978. He also worked as a guitar player for the Ronnie Laws Band, The Crusaders, Jackson 5, Lamont Dozier, Ramsey Lewis, Randy Crawford, George Duke, Wayne Henderson and Hubert Laws.
His contributions to Tom Waits' albums are for 1978's Blue Valentine and 1980's Heartattack and Vine on which he played the 12-string guitar as well as the electric guitar. He returned to EWF in 1981 replacing fellow rhythm guitarist Al McKay and performed on 1981's Raise!, 1982's Powerlight and 1983's Electric Universe. He left the band in 1983 when the group went on a hiatus that eventually lasted for four years. On February 29, 2012, Roland Bautista died of natural causes.
Selective discography[edit]
- 1972 Last Days and Time - Earth, Wind & Fire
- 1975 Electric Collection - Ramsey Lewis
- 1975 Pressure Sensitive - Ronnie Laws
- 1976 Free as the Wind - The Crusaders
- 1977 Bautista - Roland Bautista
- 1977 Friends & Strangers - Ronnie Laws
- 1977 Genie - Bobby Lyle
- 1977 New Warrior - Bobby Lyle
- 1977 Peddlin' Music on the Side - Lamont Dozier
- 1978 Blue Valentine - Tom Waits
- 1978 Destiny - The Jacksons
- 1978 Flame - Ronnie Laws
- 1978 Images - The Crusaders
- 1978 Land of Passion - Hubert Laws
- 1978 Heat of the Wind - Roland Bautista
- 1978 Midnight Believer - B.B. King
- 1979 Street Life - The Crusaders
- 1980 Heartattack and Vine - Tom Waits
- 1980 Now We May Begin - Randy Crawford
- 1980 Rhapsody and Blues - The Crusaders
- 1980 Routes - Ramsey Lewis
- 1981 Raise! - Earth, Wind & Fire
- 1981 The Crusaders Live in Japan - The Crusaders
- 1982 Powerlight - Earth, Wind & Fire
- 1983 Electric Universe - Earth, Wind & Fire
- 1986 Color of Success (album) - Morris Day