Erik Cartwright
Encyclopedia
Erik Cartwright is an American rock guitarist.
He was born July 10, 1950 in New York
, New York
and is best known for playing with Foghat
. Cartwright replaced original Foghat
guitarist Rod Price
in 1981. He played lead and slide guitar on Foghat
's last three major label releases, Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce
(1981), In the Mood for Something Rude
(1982), and Zig Zag Walk (1983). Foghat
was a still a major headlining act when Cartwright joined, but changes in music during the 1980s led to the band's loss of popularity and it wasn't long until they were performing in nightclubs and theaters.
Foghat
disbanded in 1983 and Carwright then joined a group called The Kneetremblers with two other Foghat
members, bassist Craig MacGregor and drummer Roger Earl
. In 1986 they began calling themselves Foghat
and toured as such until 1990 with recurring lineup changes; Earl
and Cartwright being the only group mainstays. In 1990 original Foghat
vocalist Lonesome Dave Peverett formed his own version of Foghat
, and the version including Erik Cartwright became known as Roger Earl's Foghat. Cartwright worked with Earl
until 1993, when the original Foghat
members reunited and Cartwright then found himself out of a job with many pairs of multi-tone Wingtip shoes on hand.
An accomplished guitarist, Cartwright at first had opposition from Foghat
fans due to his replacement of original guitarist Rod Price
, but it wasn't long until he proved himself with equal musicianship. Cartwright brought a somewhat new sound to Foghat
, as he played Fender guitars, while Price
had been noted for his use of Gibson guitars.
Some of Erik Cartwright's other musical affiliations include working with: Bux
, Tears, and Dan Hartman
. He now lives in Coeur d'Alene
, Idaho
, where he works at Burt's Music and Sound. He joined Foghat
onstage on July 7, 2006 at the River City Rod Run in Post Falls, Idaho
, and played guitar with the band on their encore, Slow Ride
.
's guitarist when the band was featured in the very first
full-length MTV
concert, which was filmed on October 9, 1981
, at the Sportatorium
in Hollywood, Florida
.
After leaving the Foghat
organization in 1993, Erik Cartwright was hired by Pat Travers
as second lead guitarist in his band. The relationship lasted only a few weeks, and Cartwright was again out of work, but still with the shoes.
He is the brother of musician Brett Cartwright, who has played bass guitar for Joan Jett
, David Johansen
, and Shayne Fontayne. Brett Cartwright also toured as Foghat
's bassist during the late 1980s.
He was born July 10, 1950 in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and is best known for playing with Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
. Cartwright replaced original Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
guitarist Rod Price
Rod Price
Rod Price was an English guitarist who was best known for his work with the rock band Foghat...
in 1981. He played lead and slide guitar on Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
's last three major label releases, Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce
Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce
Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce is the tenth studio album by blues rock band Foghat, released in 1981. It is the first with new guitarist Erik Cartwright.-Track listing:# "Wide Boy" - 2:44# "Let Me Get Close to You" - 5:36# "Live Now, Pay Later" - 6:08...
(1981), In the Mood for Something Rude
In the Mood for Something Rude
In the Mood for Something Rude is the eleventh studio album by British hard rock band Foghat, released in 1982. All eight tracks on the album were penned by outside writers, and the record is something of a covers album in which the band applies its bluesy rock and roll style over a collection of...
(1982), and Zig Zag Walk (1983). Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
was a still a major headlining act when Cartwright joined, but changes in music during the 1980s led to the band's loss of popularity and it wasn't long until they were performing in nightclubs and theaters.
Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
disbanded in 1983 and Carwright then joined a group called The Kneetremblers with two other Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
members, bassist Craig MacGregor and drummer Roger Earl
Roger Earl
Roger Earl is the drummer of the band Foghat, famed for their relentless touring and strong live performances...
. In 1986 they began calling themselves Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
and toured as such until 1990 with recurring lineup changes; Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
and Cartwright being the only group mainstays. In 1990 original Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
vocalist Lonesome Dave Peverett formed his own version of Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
, and the version including Erik Cartwright became known as Roger Earl's Foghat. Cartwright worked with Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
until 1993, when the original Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
members reunited and Cartwright then found himself out of a job with many pairs of multi-tone Wingtip shoes on hand.
An accomplished guitarist, Cartwright at first had opposition from Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
fans due to his replacement of original guitarist Rod Price
Rod Price
Rod Price was an English guitarist who was best known for his work with the rock band Foghat...
, but it wasn't long until he proved himself with equal musicianship. Cartwright brought a somewhat new sound to Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
, as he played Fender guitars, while Price
Price
-Definition:In ordinary usage, price is the quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services.In modern economies, prices are generally expressed in units of some form of currency...
had been noted for his use of Gibson guitars.
Some of Erik Cartwright's other musical affiliations include working with: Bux
BUX (band)
BUX was an American hard rock/boogie rock band that is best known for having lead guitarist Punky Meadows and bassist Mickie Jones both of who joined Angel, and lead singer Ralph Morman who was with the Joe Perry Project from 1979–1981 and Savoy Brown from 1981-1982.-Origins:James Newlon formed...
, Tears, and Dan Hartman
Dan Hartman
Daniel Earl "Dan" Hartman was an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for such songs as: "Free Ride", "I Can Dream About You", "Instant Replay", "Love Sensation", and "Relight My Fire", all of which had world-wide success.-Career:Born in Pennsylvania's capital, Harrisburg,...
. He now lives in Coeur d'Alene
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Coeur d'Alene is the largest city and county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. Coeur d'Alene has the second largest metropolitan area in the state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census the population of Coeur...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, where he works at Burt's Music and Sound. He joined Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
onstage on July 7, 2006 at the River City Rod Run in Post Falls, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, and played guitar with the band on their encore, Slow Ride
Slow Ride
"Slow Ride" is the title of a song composed by "Lonesome" Dave Peverett and recorded by the British rock band Foghat, appearing on their fifth album Fool for the City . This was Foghat's top single, peaking at number 20. It also appears on Foghat Live , which was their best selling album at over...
.
Trivia
Erik Cartwright was FoghatFoghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
's guitarist when the band was featured in the very first
full-length MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
concert, which was filmed on October 9, 1981
1981 in music
See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
, at the Sportatorium
Sportatorium
The name Sportatorium, a portmanteau of sports auditorium, has been used as the name of three indoor sports arenas:*Dallas Sportatorium, in Dallas, Texas*Hollywood Sportatorium, in Hollywood, Florida...
in Hollywood, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
After leaving the Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
organization in 1993, Erik Cartwright was hired by Pat Travers
Pat Travers
Patrick Henry "Pat" Travers is a Canadian rock guitarist, keyboardist and singer who began his recording career with Polydor Records in the mid-1970s...
as second lead guitarist in his band. The relationship lasted only a few weeks, and Cartwright was again out of work, but still with the shoes.
He is the brother of musician Brett Cartwright, who has played bass guitar for Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
, David Johansen
David Johansen
David Roger Johansen is an American rock, protopunk, blues, and pop singer, as well as a songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal protopunk band The New York Dolls and also achieved commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter.-Early life:Johansen was born in...
, and Shayne Fontayne. Brett Cartwright also toured as Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
's bassist during the late 1980s.