Tony Saunders

Tony Saunders, born November 10, 1955, in San Francisco, California, is an American bass and synthesizer player known for his work in jazz, gospel, R&B, and pop music. Introduced to music by his father, keyboardist Merl Saunders, Tony began singing at five, playing the piano by eight, and playing bass at 14. Saunders' career took off when he played with his father and Jerry Garcia at 18. He became a featured musician in Merl Saunders & Aunt Monk and later joined the original Rainforest Band. Throughout his career, Saunders has collaborated with numerous artists including Nils, Jeff Lorber, Paul Brown, Mavis Staples, and John Lee Hooker. His solo albums include Bigger than Outside (2011), Romancing the Bass (2014), and All About Love (2021). He has also won two Emmy awards and a Telly Award in 2022 for the video "Black Lives Matter."