Chris Maresh

Virtuoso bassist and composer Chris Maresh was born in Beaumont, Texas and raised in San Antonio, TX. He began his professional music career in Austin, TX in 1984. In 1990, Chris received a BM in Applied Double Bass Performance with an Emphasis in Jazz from the University of Texas at Austin. His lyrical, soulful and tasteful playing has established him as one of the most in-demand studio and live performance musicians in Austin.

Chris has performed and recorded with numerous jazz and blues artists, singer-songwriters and musical organizations including Eric Johnson, Mike Stern, Mitch Watkins, Ellis Marsalis, Johnny Nicholas, Pinetop Perkins, Marcia Ball, Amanda Rose Shires, Monte Montgomery and The Austin Symphony. In 2002, 2005 and 2006 Chris was named “Bass Player of the Year” at the Austin Chronicle Music Awards at the SXSW Music Festival.

Chris has performed on more than 200 albums. A major career breakthrough was his 10-year association with guitar legend Eric Johnson and his side project, Alien Love Child, where Chris’s composition “Rain” was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Performance at the 44th Grammy® Awards in 2002. Another highlight was Chris’s appearance on Eric Johnson and jazz guitarist Mike Stern’s lauded 2014 album, Eclectic. In addition, Chris has released two solo albums of his unique original compositions, Tomorrow and Side Street.

Chris appeared on Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival DVD and Eric Johnson’s Live at the Grove DVD. He also played on many movie soundtracks including Spy Kids 2, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Michael, Happy Texas and Sliding Doors. Chris was also interviewed in 2011 in a promotional video as part of the 60th Anniversary of the Fender Precision Bass.

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