Miller "Speedy" Sparks has died at age 79. Perhaps best known as part of the Texas Tornados, the bass player was known for his subtle style, making him a standout in the Austin, Texas, music scene.
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Speedy Sparks Was Texas Through and Through
Sparks was born on Dec. 22, 1945, and raised in Houston, Texas. In 1972, he moved to Austin, just as the music scene there was beginning to grow. Soon after his arrival, his skills on the four-string caught the attention of many, including Joe King Carrasco, one of the first artists with whom Sparks recorded.
However, it was Sparks' collaboration with Doug Sahm that really put the bassist on the map. The duo worked together throughout their careers, beginning with the Sir Douglas Quintet and then continuing with Sahm's solo work.
Alongside his work with Sahm, Sparks was also a featured player with other bands and performers, including James Hand, The Texas Mavericks, Eve and the Exiles, Teddy and the Tall Tops, The Leroi Borthers, Ben Vaughn, Alvin Crow and the Pleasant Valley Boys, and The Nortons.
Sparks Joined the Texas Tornados in 1989
In 1989, Sparks joined the American Tejano supergroup the Texas Tornados. It consisted of Sahm, Flaco Jiménez, Augie Meyers, and Freddy Fender.
Legend has it that the group formed when record company executives sought a way to capitalize on regional music sales. Fender is quoted as saying, "You've heard of New Kids on the Block? We're the Old Guys in the Street."
The band performed worldwide, including at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. In 1990, the Texas Tornados won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/American Performance. The song "A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada" appeared in the soundtrack to the golf comedy Tin Cup.
Though Sparks was never featured in the band's promotional material or media coverage, his distinctive playing style can be heard throughout the group's discography.
Sparks Was an Influence
During his marriage to Kay Sexton, Sparks had a significant influence on her two boys, Charlie and Will, who have each gone on to have their own musical careers. Charlie became a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band, while Will has established himself as an acclaimed session player, having performed with Sahm, Roky Erickson, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Sparks received the Austin Chronicle's Music Award for "Best Bass Player" in 1995-96 and the Texas Songwriters Association's "Texas Music Legend" award in 2020.
