Will Turpin

Will Turpin
Turpin at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia (2021)
Turpin at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia (2021)
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Ross Turpin
Born (1971-02-08) February 8, 1971 (age 53)[1]
Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S.[2]
OriginStockbridge, Georgia, U.S.
GenresAlternative rock, hard rock, post-grunge
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)Bass, keyboards, vocals, piano, percussion, drums, guitar
Years active1993–present
LabelsGooey

William Ross Turpin (born February 8, 1971) is an American musician. He is best known for being the bassist of the rock band Collective Soul. He is also a solo artist, and tours with his backing band, the Way. His debut EP, The Lighthouse, was released in 2011. He owns an indie record label called Gooey Music.

Life and career

Early life and career beginnings

Turpin was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and raised in Stockbridge, Georgia.[3] Turpin's father, Bill, opened Real 2 Reel Studios in nearby Jonesboro, Georgia in 1976.[4]

Turpin began taking piano lessons when he was eight years old.[5] He majored in percussion while attending Florida State University and Georgia State University.[5] He is married to Donna,[3] and they have three children.[4]

Collective Soul

Turpin joined Collective Soul in 1994.[3]

Other projects

Turpin makes an appearance on the album How Do You Live (1997) by Michelle Penn.[1] He has collaborated with Atlanta-based group Abel, Rawls & Hayes on several albums. Turpin served as the producer for the album Certified Organic by Michael Tolcher.[3] He performs bass on Collective Soul bandmate Ed Roland's unreleased solo album Anniversary,[6] and is featured in the music video for the track "Searching For."[7]

Solo career

The Way
OriginAtlanta, Georgia, U.S.
GenresRock
Years active2011–present
LabelsGooey
MembersWill Turpin
Jason Fowler
Mark Wilson
Past membersScott Davidson

Turpin released his first solo EP, The Lighthouse, on October 11, 2011.[8] This five-track EP features collaborations from Collective Soul bandmates Ed Roland, Joel Kosche, and Ryan Hoyle; along with guitarist Peter Stroud.[9] To promote the release, Turpin formed a band called the Way to back him at live performances. The band originally featured Jason Fowler and Scott Davidson,[3] with Mark Wilson joining the lineup afterwards. Davidson left the band in 2013.[3]

Turpin recorded a version of "What Child Is This?" for the charity album A Rock By The Sea Christmas: Volume Three (2012).[10] On February 7, 2013, Turpin and the Way performed a Stageit concert held at Real 2 Reel Studios.[11] This show was recorded and later released as a live EP, The Lighthouse (Live from Real 2 Reel Studios). Beginning in 2013, he has hosted annual Christmas rock concerts titled "Rock the Cradle" for churches each December.[12]

Turpin began recording his first studio album, Serengeti Drivers, in October 2012.[13] The album was released on June 8, 2018.[14]

Discography

With Collective Soul
Main article: Collective Soul discography
Solo
  • The Lighthouse (2011)
  • The Lighthouse (Live from Real 2 Reel Studios) (2013)
  • Serengeti Drivers (2018)

References

  1. ^ a b Tortorici, Frank (February 5, 1999). "Collective Soul's Will Turpin". MTV.com. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  2. ^ "Will Turpin Info".
  3. ^ a b c d e f Roberts, Jeremy (January 9, 2015). "Follow the lighthouse — A spontaneous interview with Collective Soul's bassist". Medium. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Terrill, Marshall (October 22, 2011). "Will Turpin's thoughts on "The Lighthouse"". The Buzz. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Terrill, Marshall (October 24, 2011). "Q & A with Will Turpin on "The Lighthouse"". The Buzz. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  6. ^ Ruggieri, Melissa (February 12, 2016). "Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland writes Valentine's Day album for wife". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on February 13, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  7. ^ "Searching For". Vimeo. February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  8. ^ Terrill, Marshall (October 11, 2011). "Will Turpin finds way in "The Lighthouse"". The Buzz. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  9. ^ Terrill, Marshall (November 3, 2011). "Collective Soul's Will Turpin navigates his own way in 'The Lighthouse'". Ahwatukee Foothills News. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  10. ^ "What Child Is This? - Will Turpin". AllMusic. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  11. ^ Terrill, Marshall (February 2, 2013). "Turpin will host Stageit performance on Feb. 7". The Buzz. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  12. ^ Terrill, Marshall (December 17, 2014). ""Rock the Cradle" twice as nice in 2014". Presspass Blog. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  13. ^ "Turpin will host Stageit performance on Feb. 7". Real 2 Reel Studios. October 9, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  14. ^ "Debut full-length solo album "Serengeti Drivers" will be released June 8". Will Turpin. Archived from the original on 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2018-05-31.


Stub icon

This article about a United States bass guitarist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This article about a rock musician from the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.