Fred Tackett

Fredrick O. Tackett (born August 30, 1945) is an American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Originally a session player on guitar, mandolin, and trumpet, he is best known as a member of the band Little Feat.

In addition to his work with Little Feat, Tackett has played and recorded with many notable artists, Bob Dylan and Jimmy Webb among them. He had an additional side project with another member of Little Feat; he performed as part of a duo with Paul Barrere, as Paul and Fred.

Tackett's association with Little Feat goes back to a friendship with the founder of the band, Lowell George, at the time of its inception. Working as a session player for other musicians, he continued his friendship with the bandmates, and contributed a song "Fool Yourself" to their third album Dixie Chicken as well as acoustic guitar. He also contributed guitar to their sixth album Time Loves a Hero.

In 1979 he co-wrote songs with Lowell George for both George's first (and only) solo project Thanks, I'll Eat It Here, and Little Feat's album Down on the Farm. It was during work on the latter that the group's break-up was announced. Lowell George died shortly afterwards.

In 1983, he performed on the Antilles Records release Swingrass '83.

In 1988 Little Feat reformed despite the absence of their former front man, and prolific singer, songwriter, and slide guitarist, Lowell George. The regrouped Little Feat included former members Paul Barrere, Richie Hayward, Bill Payne, Kenny Gradney, and Sam Clayton, with the addition of Tackett and Craig Fuller. Fuller left in 1993, to be replaced by female vocalist Shaun Murphy who remained with the group until 2009 when they pared back down to a six-piece. Tackett has remained with Little Feat since the day he joined, and has become an integral member of the band.

Fred Tackett has played a pivotal role in Little Feat's music. In addition to his guitar work, he plays trumpet and mandolin and has co-written several of their songs,. Between 1991 and 2003, he forged an active and regular writing partnership with Paul Barrere which has produced such songs as "Marginal Creatures" and "Night On The Town". The 2003 album Kickin' It at the Barn featured Tackett's debut as a lead vocalist on his own song "In a Town Like This" which was also the title track from his debut solo album released that year on Feat's Hot Tomato label. A second effort, Silver Strings followed in 2010.

Tackett's writing partnership with Barrere developed into a separate act where the two performed as a duo. This produced two live albums and a DVD. They also spent time between gigs when touring to perform in local radio stations, playing songs that did not require a lot of changing of instruments, to travel as lightly as possible. Sadly this was brought to an end by Barrere's death from cancer in 2019.