Background information
Also known as
Eric "Roscoe" Ambel; Eric Roscoe Ambel
Born
(1957-08-20) August 20, 1957 (age 66)
Kankakee, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Americana, folk rock, rock, alternative country
Occupation(s)
Musician, record producer
Instrument(s)
Guitarist, multi-instrumentalist
Labels
Enigma Records/EMI Records
Bloodshot Records
Website
Eric "Roscoe" Ambel (born August 20, 1957) is an American guitarist and record producer.
He has worked with a wide range of artists including Nils Lofgren, Steve Earle, the Yayhoos, Del Lords, The Bottle Rockets, Joan Jett, Mojo Nixon, Blood Oranges, Blue Mountain, Freedy Johnston and Mary Lee's Corvette.[1][2][3]
Eric "Roscoe" Ambel" was born August 20, 1957, in Kankakee, Illinois. At a young age, Eric took up the piano and trumpet as part of the School music program. Around 10 years old Eric borrowed a guitar from his neighbor and began to teach himself with a chord book and by playing along with records. Eric played both trumpet and guitar throughout his college career at University of Wyoming.
"Ambel first took up the rock 'n' roll torch in the late 1970s while attending college the University of Wyoming, where he formed the punk combo the Dirty Dogs, who released the cult-classic single "Sorority Girl" before changing their name to the Accelerators and relocating to Los Angeles. In L.A. the Accelerators recorded and released an EP called "It's Cool To Rock" produced by Danny Holloway (Plimsouls, Bob Marley). Then, after playing with Rik L Rik and Top Jimmy, he began a two-year stint as lead guitarist in Joan Jett's original Blackhearts, touring extensively and playing on her I Love Rock 'n' Roll album. He exited in the early 1980s to co-found the gritty New York foursome the Del-Lords, which also included ex-Dictator Scott Kempner and future Cracker drummer Frank Funaro, which released four highly regarded studio albums and helped usher in the 1980s roots-rock mini-boom."[4]
"Veteran singer/guitarist/songwriter/producer/raconteur Eric Ambel—known to friends, associates, and bandmates as Roscoe—is the possessor of an estimable musical resume that’s established his credentials as a deeply committed rocker as well as a witty and thoughtful songwriter. Between his current duties as producer, bandleader, studio proprietor, bar owner, member of the uber-bar-band supergroup the Yayhoos, and lead guitarist of Steve Earle’s band the Dukes, he’s found time to launch his own label, Lakeside Lounge Records, to redress the longstanding absence of Ambel solo product from the marketplace.[4]
Lakeside Lounge Records’ initial release is Knucklehead,[5] the first new Eric Ambel album in nearly a decade. The disc compiles 15 previously unreleased tracks recorded by Ambel in a variety of locations over the past 14 years with a variety of notable collaborators, including his fondly-remembered ’80s band the Del-Lords, the Bottle Rockets, Andy York (John Mellencamp), Warner Hodges (Jason and the Scorchers), Will Rigby (the dB’s), Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu), Tony Shanahan (Patti Smith), Ron Gremp (the Morells), Steven Terry (Whiskeytown), Martin’s Folly and Ambel’s Yayhoos cohorts Dan Baird, Keith Christopher and Terry Anderson. Also lending a hand is Steve Earle, who contributes a previously unheard composition, "The Usual Time", and adds vocals to a new version of the Del-Lords chestnut "Judas Kiss".
In 1996, Ambel co-founded the Yayhoos with ex-Georgia Satellites frontman Dan Baird, Satellites/Shaver/Roscoe's Gang bassist Keith Christopher and noted drummer/tunesmith Terry Anderson, who released their long-brewing debut album Fear Not the Obvious on Bloodshot Records in 2001. Also in 1996, Ambel opened the popular East Village bar the Lakeside Lounge, which he co-owns and where he sometimes performs. In 1999, he inaugurated Cowboy Technical Services, his own 24-track analog/digital recording studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which has since played host to the likes of Ryan Adams, Robert Randolph, Steve Wynn, Marshall Crenshaw, Laura Cantrell, Marah, the Silos, the Damnwells and Martin's Folly.
In 2000, he became the lead guitarist in Steve Earle’s touring and recording band the Dukes, appearing on such projects as Earle’s acclaimed Jerusalem album, the documentary profile Just An American Boy and the Grammy Award-winning record The Revolution Starts…..Now. Ambel recorded and toured with Earle and the Dukes from 2000 through 2005.
In June 2006 Ambel’s Lakeside Lounge label releases the new Yayhoos CD titled Put The Hammer Down. Also in 2006 Ambel's song "Baby I Love You" from the Yayhoos Fear Not the Obvious was featured as the closing credits song in James Gunn's Horror/Comedy film SLiTHER.
Ambel has been producing records for many artists including Kasey Anderson, The Travelling Band, Mark McKay, and the Bottle Rockets while playing gigs with the Roscoe Trio and playing guitar for Mike Ferrio's band Tandy.
In 2008 New West Records released Steve Earle's Live From Austin, TX from the Austin City Limits on November 12, 2000, featuring Eric as a member of the Dukes.
In 2009 The Bottle Rockets Ambel produced Lean Forward was released by Bloodshot Records. Ambel also began work on his Gringoman recordings which find him playing all the instruments and doing most of the recording in his home studio Lily’s Terrace in the East Village.
In 2010 the Del-Lords released the Ambel produced Under Construction EP. The recent reissues of their records had brought them back together. After a couple of undercover warm-up gigs in the North East, the band played their first tour in 20 years in Spain. Back in NYC Ambel began work on Chris Barron’s next solo record and albums from Ben Hall from Nashville and the Tallboys of Kentucky.[4]"
As a member of The Yayhoos with Dan Baird, Keith Christopher, and Terry Anderson, the band put out the record “Put The Hammer Down” in 2006. In the 1980s Del-Lords reformed and put out a record titled “Elvis Club” in 2013. After 11 years, Eric put out his first solo record titled “Lakeside” after a bar he co-owned. He also runs Cowboy Technical Services, a recording studio, with Tim Hatfield.[6]
2016
Canis Majoris
Esquela
Producer
2015
#392: The EP Collection
Marshall Crenshaw
Mixing
2015
Blue Healer
Jimbo Mathus
Primary Artist
2015
South Broadway Athletic Club
The Bottle Rockets
Mixing, Photography, Vocals, Guitars, Composer
2014
Face the Music
Nils Lofgren
Guitar, Producer, Vocals
2014
The Box Set Series
Run-D.M.C.
Guitar
2013
Bottle Rockets/The Brooklyn Side
The Bottle Rockets
Transfers, Reissue Coordination, Guest Artist, Mixing
2013
Elvis Club
The Del-Lords
Engineer, Guitar, Vocal Harmony, Soloist, Inside Photo, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals
2013
Let Me Turn You On!
Composer, Guitar, Instrumentation
2013
Are We Rolling?
Producer
2011
Heart Of A Dog
Kasey Anderson and the Honkies
Composer
2011
Not So Loud: An Acoustic Evening
The Bottle Rockets
Mixing
2010
The Music of Run DMC
Run-D.M.C.
Guitar
2010
The Owl Has Landed
Esquela
Producer
2009
A New Beginning
Ted Morris
Mixing
2009
Lean Forward
The Bottle Rockets
Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
2009
Royal City
Royal City
Engineer
2009
This Song Kills Cancer, Vol. 1
Producer
2008
Live from Austin TX November 12, 2000
Steve Earle
Main Personnel, Vocals, Guitar
2007
Brooklyn Bridge
Casey Neill
Guitar (Electric)
2007
Dismissed With a Kiss
Spanking Charlene
Producer, Photography, Guitar, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Wah Wah Guitar, Soloist, Dulcitone
2007
Let Go
Keri Noble
Guitar (Electric)
2007
Low
Miss Ohio
Mixing, Keyboards
2007
Reckoning
Kasey Anderson
Producer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String), Guitar (Baritone), E-Bow, Trumpet, Keyboards, Tambourine, Vocals (Background), Hi String Guitar, Mando-Guitar
2007
Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems
Emmylou Harris
Vocals, Guitar
2006
Harpo's Ghost
Thea Gilmore
Engineer, Guitar (Electric), Harmonium
2006
In the Raw
Sugar Mountain
Producer, Mixing, Guitar (Acoustic), Pump Organ, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Fuzz Guitar, Telecaster
2006
Love, Loss & Lunacy
Mary Lee's Corvette
Producer, Guitar (12 String), Drum Programming
2006
Put the Hammer Down
The Yayhoos
Producer, Liner Notes, Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Piano, Drums, Percussion, Clapping, Dulcitone, Fuzz Guitar, Group Member, Composer
2006
Slither [Music from the Motion Picture]
Allan Wilson
Composer
2006
Wire Waltz
The Last Town Chorus
Engineer
2005
Best: 1991-2003
Joe d'Urso & Stone Caravan
Producer, Musician
2005
Favorites 1990-2005
Nils Lofgren
Producer, Audio Production, Main Personnel, Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Timpani
2005
For a Decade of Sin: 11 Years of Bloodshot Records
Producer, Mixing, Group Member
2005
Keri Noble
Keri Noble
Guitar (Electric)
2005
Lowe Profile: A Tribute to Nick Lowe
Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Primary Artist
2005
My Own Backyard
Ann Klein
Guitar (Acoustic)
2005
Terry Anderson and the Olympic Ass-Kickin Team
Terry Anderson
Guitar
2004
Austin City Limits Music Festival: 2003
Guitar
2004
Dead Roses
Kasey Anderson
Producer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String Electric), E-Bow, Piano, Wurlitzer, Tambourine, Dulcitone
2004
Knucklehead
Eric Ambel
Primary Artist, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Photography, Vocals, Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Organ, Soloist, Dulcitone, Composer
2004
Shimmer
Mark McKay
Producer, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Baritone), E-Bow, Piano, Organ, Wurlitzer, Tambourine, Vocals (Background), Dulcitone
2004
The Q People: A Tribute to NRBQ
Guitar (Electric), Vocals (Background)
2004
The Revolution Starts...Now
Steve Earle
Main Personnel, Vocals, Guitar, Group Member
2003
700 Miles
Mary Lee's Corvette
Producer, Mixing, Audio Production, Photography, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (12 String), Organ, Drum Programming, Vocals (Background), String Arrangements, Dulcitone
2003
From Hope
Martin's Folly
Producer, Mixing, Recorder, Horn, Percussion
2003
Split Personality
The Gamma Rays
Vocals, Guitar
2003
The Songs of Hank Williams Jr.: A Bocephus Celebration
Mixing
2003
Used Country Female
Tammy Faye Starlite
Producer, Guitar (Acoustic), Tambourine, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Rhythm)
2003
What's in the Bag?
Marshall Crenshaw
Producer, Guitar (Bass), Dulcitone
2002
Chooglin': A Tribute to the Songs of John Fogerty
Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Drums
2002
Come Along
The Dark Horses
Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Tambourine
2002
Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson
Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Trumpet, Trombone, Drums, Bass
2002
Jerusalem
Steve Earle
Vocals, Guitar
2002
Perfect City
Florence Dore
Producer, Mixing, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String), Piano, Organ, Vocals (Background), Dulcitone
2002
The Lowdown: 1997-2002
Tandy
Trumpet
2001
Cripplin' Crutch
Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String Electric), Percussion, Vocals (Background)
2001
Fear Not the Obvious
The Yayhoos
Producer, Engineer, Photography, Vocals, Guitar, Composer
2001
Green Pop
Big In Iowa
Producer, Mixing, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Acoustic, Electric, 12-String, Baritone), Tambourine, Trumpet
2001
Pulling up Atlantis
Demolition String Band
Producer
2001
The Bloodroot Transcriptions
Tandy
Trumpet
2000
Boarding House Rules
Tom Heyman
Mastering
2000
Down to the Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records
Producer, Engineer, Vocals, Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Dulcimer, Keyboards, Drums, Percussion, Bass
2000
Lot No. 99-0038
Robert Becker
Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Bass
2000
Tarheel Boogie
Jimmy Nations
Guitar (Acoustic)
1999
Brand New Year
The Bottle Rockets
Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (12 String), Slide Guitar, Guitar (Baritone), Wah Wah Guitar, Organ, Shaker, Dulcitone
1999
Crown Royal
Run-D.M.C.
Guitar
1999
Get Tough: The Best of the Del-Lords
The Del-Lords
Mixing, Guitar, Bass
1999
It's Heartbreak That Sells: A Tribute to Ray Mason
Producer, Engineer, Performer, Primary Artist
1999
Man, It's Cold
Martin's Folly
Producer, Mixing, Guitar, Trumpet, Keyboards
1999
Sessions from the Flats
Ghosts of the Canal
Production Coordination
1999
Southern Lines
The Backsliders
Producer, Mixing, Guitar (Electric), Composer
1999
Stir of Echoes
Composer
1999
This Ain't No Tribute Blues Cube
Guitar
1999
This Note's for You Too!: A Tribute to Neil Young
Performer, Primary Artist
1999
True Lovers of Adventure
Mary Lee's Corvette
Producer, Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
1999
Ultimate Collection
Nils Lofgren
Producer, Guitar (Electric)
1999
West Virginia Dog Track Boogie
The Cowslingers
Producer
1998
Dolly Horrorshow
The Blacks
Producer
1998
Leftovers
The Bottle Rockets
Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Slide Guitar, Organ (Hammond), Harmony
1998
Little Big Man
Jono Manson
Producer, Mixing
1998
Popular Demons
Greg Trooper
Composer
1998
What's So Funny
Angry Johnny & The Killbillies
Guitar, Organ (Hammond)
1997
24 Hours a Day
The Bottle Rockets
Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String), Piano, Organ, Mellotron, Tambourine, Percussion, Clapping, Harmony
1997
Bug Bite Daddy
Simon Chardiet
Producer
1997
Characters
Producer
1997
Gadzooks: The Homemade Bootleg
Mojo Nixon
Guest Artist, Producer, Vocals, Guitar
1997
Killing Time [EP]
Love Riot
Producer
1997
Mexican Blackbird
The Cowslingers
Producer, Guitar
1997
Paint It Blue: Songs of the Rolling Stones
Guitar
1997
Straight Outta Boone Country
Producer, Drums, Vocals (Background), Bass
1997
Surf Guitar Greats
Producer
1996
Buffalo Nickel
Dan Baird
Composer
1996
East Side Story, Vol. 1
Performer, Composer, Primary Artist
1996
Life Is Large
The Kennedys
Guest Artist, Guitar (Electric)
1996
Martin's Folly
Martin's Folly
Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Trumpet, Piano, Percussion
1996
Mary Lee's Corvette
Mary Lee's Corvette
Producer, Mixing
1996
Maybe She Will
Love Riot
Producer, Mixing, Guitar, Percussion, Mastering
1996
Rig Rock Deluxe: A Musical Salute to the American Truck Drivers
Producer, Vocals, Guitar
1996
That's Truckdriving
The Cowslingers
Producer, Mixing
1996
The Knitter
Cheri Knight
Guest Artist, Producer
1996
Trucker's Last Dollar
The Cowslingers
Producer, Guitar (Acoustic)
1996
Waiting Around for the Crash
Go to Blazes
Producer, Mixing, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Penny Whistle, Trumpet, Vocals (Background)
1996
Wooden Leg
Wooden Leg
Guest Artist, Mixing
1995
Cool Down Time
Dan Zanes
Composer
1995
Dog Days
Blue Mountain
Guest Artist, Producer, Mixing, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Shaker
1995
Look at Me I'm Cool!
Simon & the Bar Sinisters
Producer, Photography, Guitar (Acoustic), Shaker, Vocal Harmony
1995
Loud & Lonesome
Eric Ambel & Roscoe's Gang
Producer, Arranger, Mixing, Liner Notes, Primary Artist, Vocals, Guitar, Composer
1995
Sing Hollies in Reverse
Producer, Performer, Primary Artist
1995
The Brooklyn Side
The Bottle Rockets
Producer
1995
The Live from Mountain Stage, Vol. 8
Guitar
1995
Whereabouts Unknown
Mojo Nixon
Producer
1994
Anytime...Anywhere
Go to Blazes
Producer, Mixing, Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String), Dobro, Percussion, Vocals (Background), Composer
1994
Love & A .45
Producer
1994
Star Power
Producer, Vocals, Slide Guitar
1994
The Crying Tree
Blood Oranges
Producer, Mixing
1993
Marijuana's Greatest Hits Revisited
Producer, Guitar
1993
Rig Rock Truck Stop
Producer, Vocals, Guitar
1992
Crooked Line
Nils Lofgren
Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Timpani
1992
Just a Little
Nils Lofgren
Producer, Vocals, Guitar
1992
Lone Green Valley
Blood Oranges
Producer
1992
Rig Rock Jukebox
Producer, Guitar, 6-String Bass, Bass
1991
20 Explosive Dynamic Super Smash Hit Explosions!
Guitar, Fuzz Guitar
1990
Lovers Who Wander
The Del-Lords
Featured Artist, Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (12 String), Vocal Harmony, Performer, Guitar (Rickenbacker)
1990
Otis
Mojo Nixon
Guitar, Vocals (Background)
1989
Howlin' at the Halloween Moon
The Del-Lords
Guitar
1989
Live at Raji's
The Del-Lords
Guitar
1989
Surprise
Syd Straw
Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
1988
Based on a True Story
The Del-Lords
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
1988
Roscoe's Gang
Eric Ambel
Primary Artist, Producer, Liner Notes, Vocals, Guitar, Composer
1986
Johnny Comes Marching Home
The Del-Lords
Vocals, Guitar, Group Member, Composer
1986
Luxury Condos Coming to Your Neighborhood Soon
Producer, Vocals, Guitar
1984
Frontier Days
The Del-Lords
Vocals, Guitar
1981
Bad Reputation
Joan Jett
Guitar
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Live albums
Singles
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