On This Day in 2003, the World Lost the Legendary Bassist Who Played With Tom Petty and Bob Dylan and Produced Albums for John Prine

On this day (February 23) in 2003, bassist Howie Epstein died in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from an overdose at the age of 47. His career is long and full of highlights. Most notably, he played bass for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He also played on recordings by Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Cash, and many more. He also produced John Prine’s Grammy-winning 1991 album The Missing Years.

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Epstein grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he played guitar and mandolin in a handful of rock and country bands. In the late 1970s, he relocated from the Midwest to the West Coast, where he joined singer/songwriter John Hiatt’s band as a bassist. He recorded two albums with Hiatt–Slug Line (1979) and Two Bit Monsters (1980)–before leaving the band.

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Before long, Epstein joined Del Shannon’s backing band. He recorded one album with Shannon, the Tom Petty-produced Drop Down and Get Me (1981). Petty was so impressed by his skills that when Ron Blair left the Heartbreakers in 1982, he reached out to Epstein and invited him to fill the slot. This came as no surprise to the rest of the band.

“We all kind of thought Howie would get the job,” Stan Lynch said. “He seemed to have a real good feeling for what we were doing. He’s a good bass player, a real good singer, and he fit in real well,” he added.

Epstein’s first album with the band was Long After Dark (1982). His final was Echo (1999). He also joined Petty for his solo albums Full Moon Fever (1989) and Wildflowers (1994). His substance abuse led to his being dismissed from the band in 2002.

Howie Epstein Branched Out

Howie Epstein played bass with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers for 20 years. However, he didn’t limit his musical output to the band. He didn’t limit himself to being a musician, either.

Epstein was an in-demand studio player. As a result, he appeared on albums from Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Stevie Nicks, and others.

He also produced a handful of albums. Notably, he produced Carlene Carter’s 1990 album I Fell in Love. He later proposed to her, and the two were engaged but never married.

Epstein produced and played on John Prine’s The Missing Years (1991), which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Recording. They also worked together on Prine’s next album, Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings (1995).

“Howie Epstein was a kind, patient, and extremely talented musician,” Prine told Rolling Stone. “He took two years out of his life and dedicated his undivided attention to the making of two of my records. Those records changed my life thanks to Howie.”

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