Tony Newton

Tony Newton was nicknamed “Baby Funk Brother” by the original studio musicians at Motown Records where he began working in 1964. His first session with the Funk Brothers was the song “Baby Love” by the Supremes, which was released on the album Where Did Our Love Go. Tony’s long career in music took off when he played bass for iconic blues performers such as T-Bone Walker and John Lee Hooker. Those gigs gained the attention of Motown and soon Tony found himself working with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and young Michael Jackson. He toured with many of the label’s top acts including Smokey Robinson as part of the Motown Review. Tony’s bass style was influenced by James Jamerson but had its own unique qualities, which often explored the cutting edge effects pedals at the time. Forming his own bands over the years, Tony released several of his own albums including Mysticism & Romance (1978) and ThunderFunkFusion (2012).