Starting in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, Eddie Cantu has played and recorded drums and percussion for 34 years.  He started recording at age 16 before moving to Boston in 1976.
He earned a performance degree from Berklee College of Music with studies including music arrangements (horns and strings), electronic music, and audio recording.  In 1978 he moved back to Texas and joined the Austin Chronicle award-winning, funk/fusion band Extreme Heat.  Cantu was voted one of Austin’s top drummers during his eight years with the group.   The band opened for such acts as Kool & the Gang, Spyro Gyra, Gil Scott-Heron, Bill Bruford, Al Kooper, and Tower of Power.  In 1980 he made an appearance on Austin City Limits with Tomas Ramirez and the Jazzmanian Devils and went on to record Ramirez’s debut album.
In 1987 Cantu began playing with Austin guitarist David Spann and recorded an album produced by England’s Andy Johns, of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Jethro Tull, Rod Stewart, Van Halen, and Joe Satriani fame.   This band also opened shows with Savoy Brown, Robin Trower, Al Stewart, Jimmy Lefave and John Butcher Axis.
In Austin, Cantu has worked and recorded with Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt,Joe Ely, The Flatlanders,Gina Phobia, The Sweaters, Steve Fromholz, Pat Malone, Julieann Banks, Natalie Zoe, Johnny Edson, Roy West, John Arthur Martinez, Doc Mason, John Paul Sargent, Noel Eskew, Duck Soup, and Forlini & Cross.  He was the drummer/percussionist for the Grammy award-winning Disney recording “Winnie the Pooh” with the legendary Long John Baldry produced by Gary Powell, one of the nation's pre-eminent music composers for children. Cantu works with “The Big Time” who played for George W. Bush’s 2001 Presidential Inaugural Ball, Epic Records’ Denim, . Currently, Cantu works with Grammy winning Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis. Along with being an in-demand session player, he is also the co-owner of AustinMusicProducers.

Selected Recordings CD Covers

Photos

¨ Disney’s Grammy winning “Winnie the Pooh” performed by Lohn John Baldry
¨ A Bug’s Life and Animal Songs “Wild Safari” sing-a-long
¨ Commercial music beds for McDonalds, KEYE-TV, Henna Chevrolet, Lammes Candies, Austin American Statesman, County Line, Elgin Sausage and many others.

¨ Steve Fromholz –“Frummux2”
¨ Tomas Ramirez and the Jazzmanian Devils
¨ Christine Albert – “TexFrance2”
¨ The Austin Christmas Collection (Third Edition) - Felicity Records
¨ Rocky Benton with Mike Cross, Double Trouble
¨ Skeleton Crew w/ Ian McMcLagan and Bobby Keys
¨ Extreme Heat, "Extreme Heat" - Undercover Records
¨ Townes van Zandt and Willie Nelson - Rounder Records
¨ Albert and Gage
¨ Jeff DeVillez' "Timeless" – World Music Artists
¨ Smokey Wilson’s “Texas Saturday Night”, - Texmuse Records
¨ Gina Phobia
¨ Forlini & Cross’ “Wall of Desire” "Soulful Rescue"
¨ Denim’s “Indian Paintbrush”, “Evolution”
¨ David Spann
¨ Pat Malone
¨ Johnny Edson
¨ Roy West
¨ John Arthur Martinez
¨ Mark Hallman “Cry Wolf”
¨ Doc Mason
¨ John Paul Sargent
¨Brian Houser produced by Lloyd Maines

Mom's photos