Roland Bautista

Roland Bautista (May 30, 1951 – February 29, 2012) was an American guitarist who was a former member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire.

Career

Bautista worked as a guitarist on Earth, Wind & Fire's 1972 album Last Days and Time, but left the band soon after it's release. He went on to play upon Ronnie Laws's 1975 debut album Pressure Sensitive and The Crusaders 1976 album Free As The Wind. Bautista then issued two solo LPs on ABC Records being 1977's Bautista and The Heat Of The Wind in 1978. During that year he also played on other records such as B.B. King's Midnight Believer, Tom Waits' Blue Valentine, The Crusaders' Images, George Duke's Don't Let Go and The Jacksons' Destiny. Within 1979 Bautista worked with The Crusaders' on their album Street Life and Dee Dee Bridgewater upon her LP Bad for Me.

He again played with Tom Waits and Randy Crawford upon their 1980 albums Heartattack and Vine and Now You May Begin respectively. He returned to Earth, Wind & Fire in 1981 as a replacement for fellow rhythm guitarist Al McKay. Bautista went on to play on the band's album Raise! which was issued in 1981. During that year he played upon Stanley Turrentine's LP Tender Togetherness, Yellowjackets self titled debut album and Ella Fitzgerald's LP Ella Abraça Jobim. Within the following year he featured on the Dazz Band's album Jukebox. With EWF he also played on 1983's Powerlight and Electric Universe. He left the band during that same year when the group went upon a hiatus that eventually lasted for four years.

Bautista went on to work with artistes such as Morris Day on his 1985 album Color of Success and The Pointer Sisters on their 1987 album Serious Slammin'. On February 29, 2012, Roland Bautista died of natural causes.

Selective discography

• 1972 Last Days and Time - Earth, Wind & Fire
• 1975 Electric Collection - Ramsey Lewis
• 1975 Pressure Sensitive - Ronnie Laws
• 1976 Free as the Wind - The Crusaders
• 1977 Bautista - Roland Bautista
• 1977 Friends & Strangers - Ronnie Laws
• 1977 Genie - Bobby Lyle
• 1977 New Warrior - Bobby Lyle
• 1977 Peddlin' Music on the Side - Lamont Dozier
• 1978 Blue Valentine - Tom Waits
• 1978 Destiny - The Jacksons
• 1978 Flame - Ronnie Laws
• 1978 Images - The Crusaders
• 1978 Land of Passion - Hubert Laws
• 1978 Heat of the Wind - Roland Bautista
• 1978 Midnight Believer - B.B. King
• 1979 Street Life - The Crusaders
• 1980 A Brazilian Love Affair - George Duke
• 1980 Heartattack and Vine - Tom Waits
• 1980 Now We May Begin - Randy Crawford
• 1980 Rhapsody and Blues - The Crusaders
• 1980 Routes - Ramsey Lewis
• 1981 Raise! - Earth, Wind & Fire
• 1981 The Crusaders Live in Japan - The Crusaders
• 1982 Powerlight - Earth, Wind & Fire
• 1983 Electric Universe - Earth, Wind & Fire
• 1986 Color of Success (album) - Morris Day