Billy Sheehan was born on March 19, 1953, in Buffalo, New York, where he grew up, learned bass, and built the foundation for a career that would establish him as one of rock’s most technically accomplished and influential players.
Talas and the Buffalo Years
Sheehan’s first full-time band was Talas, a power trio with guitarist Dave Constantino and drummer Paul Varga. Based in Buffalo, Talas built a fierce regional following through relentless gigging and Sheehan’s already-astonishing technique. He had modified a Fender Precision bass with scalloped frets, an added neck pickup for deeper low end, and separate stereo outputs — a customized instrument that matched his customized approach to the instrument. Talas was a proving ground where Sheehan developed the lead-bass style that would define his career.
David Lee Roth and Mr. Big
In 1985, Sheehan joined David Lee Roth’s solo band, playing on the albums Eat ‘Em and Smile (1986) and Skyscraper (1988) alongside guitarist Steve Vai. The gig put his virtuosity on a global stage. He then co-founded Mr. Big, whose 1991 ballad “To Be With You” hit No. 1 in 14 countries — an unlikely worldwide smash from a band built around instrumental pyrotechnics.
Technique and Innovation
Sheehan pioneered a lead-bass approach incorporating chording, two-handed tapping, three-finger picking, and controlled feedback — techniques that influenced an entire generation of rock bassists. He has been voted Best Rock Bass Player five times in Guitar Player magazine’s readers’ polls.
Projects and Legacy
Beyond Mr. Big, Sheehan formed the jazz fusion supergroup Niacin in 1996 with drummer Dennis Chambers and keyboardist John Novello, and later joined The Winery Dogs with Richie Kotzen and Mike Portnoy. A Buffalo kid who turned the bass guitar into a lead instrument, Sheehan expanded the possibilities of rock bass and took them from the clubs of Western New York to stages worldwide.