Thomas (Hutch) Hutchins

I started playing the bass in middle school when my orchestra teacher convinced me to change from the viola…yes the viola, to the upright bass, complete with bow.  The upright bass was much more suitable for my size and the middle school orchestra didn’t have an upright bass player at the time.  In 8th grade, my parents bought me my first electric bass guitar and amp; a knock-off Fender Precision bass and a 150 watt Peavey TNT amp.  From middle school, I never looked back and knew the bass was my preferred instrument.  I hung with the orchestra until the 10th grade, but orchestra practice interfered with football and baseball practice, so I hung up the bow and upright.  I continued to play the electric bass and played with a drummer and a guitarist that I knew from baseball.  Does ‘Love Stinks’, Can’t Get Enough’ and ‘Hot Blooded’ ring any bells?

After college, I played in a cover band named ‘Sixes Road’, and played numerous gigs at Good Ol’ Days in Buckhead and Sandy Springs, as well as some fraternity and private parties.  Sixes Road eventually dismantled after several years, and I helped form ‘Big Frank’, playing originals at places like ‘’Kings Head Pub’/The Edge’ ‘Jimmy Macs’ and other places around Marietta.  After Big Frank dismantled, I spent some time playing with a cover band called ‘Heritage’.  While with this band, I played a gig with a band at Cooper Head Lodge called GRIP.  This is the first time I had heard GRIP.  After Heritage dismantled, I joined a variety cover band named ‘Ghost Town’, playing rock n roll, Motown, and country type music in the west Georgia area.

Now you’re up to speed.  I know I have some big shoes to fill, but I look forward to rockin, meeting new people (GRIPPIES), and having fun with GRIP!