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{{more citations needed|date=October 2010}}

{{Infobox musical artist
| name = T Lavitz
| image = T_Lavitz.jpg
| image_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1956|4|16}}
| birth_place = [[Lakewood, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|10|7|1956|4|16}}
| instrument = [[Piano]], [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]]
| genre = {{Flatlist|
* [[Rock music|Rock]]
* [[jazz rock]]
}}
| past_member_of = [[Dixie Dregs]], [[Jazz Is Dead (band)|Jazz Is Dead]], [[Jefferson Starship]], [[Widespread Panic]]
| years_active = 1970s–2010
| website = [http://www.tlavitz.net www.tlavitz.net]
}}

'''Terry "T" Lavitz''' (April 16, 1956 – October 7, 2010) was an American [[keyboardist]], [[composer]], and [[Record producer|producer]]. He is best known for his work with the [[Dixie Dregs]] and [[Jazz Is Dead (band)|Jazz Is Dead]].

==Biography==
Born on April 16, 1956, Lavitz grew up in [[New Jersey]]. He started taking piano lessons at the age of seven and was offered a scholarship at the [[Interlochen Arts Academy]] in Michigan where he studied keyboard and saxophone. After high school he attended [[University of Miami]]'s School of Music. In his senior year at the UM he was asked to join the [[Dixie Dregs]]. He accepted the invitation and played his first show in January 1980. ''[[Dregs of the Earth]]'', released in 1980, was the first Dregs album he could be heard on. In 1981 he won the 'Best New Talent' category of Keyboard Magazine's Annual Readers Poll.

The Dregs broke up in January 1983 and T Lavitz, [[Rod Morgenstein]] and Andy West went on tour with former [[Little Feat]] guitarist/singer [[Paul Barrere]]. ''Extended Play'', a five song EP, was released in 1984. The album also featured future Dregs and [[Steve Morse|Steve Morse Band]] bass player [[Dave LaRue]]. In 1985 Lavitz joined the Bluesbusters, a blues-rock quintet also featuring Paul Barrere, guitarist/singer Catfish Hodge, bass player [[Freebo]] ([[Bonnie Raitt]]) and drummer Larry Zack. They released two albums and toured extensively. His first solo album ''Storytime'' was released in 1986. The critically acclaimed ''Players'' album with [[Jeff Berlin]], [[Steve Smith (musician)|Steve Smith]] and [[Scott Henderson]] was released in 1987.

The Dregs reunited in 1988 to record two songs as a demonstration CD for the Ensoniq company. A short tour followed with Dave LaRue replacing Andy West. Later that year T Lavitz joined the reformed [[Mother's Finest]] on tour. Tours with [[Bill Bruford]] and the [[Billy Cobham|Billy Cobham Trio]] followed.

In 1991 T Lavitz was invited to join [[Widespread Panic]] after playing keyboards on their first album for the revived Capricorn Records label. Lavitz toured with Widespread Panic from April 1991 through the end of that year, but left the band as the Dixie Dregs reunited and re-signed with Capricorn Records in 1992. The re-formed Dixie Dregs shared a bill with Widespread Panic at two events in February 1992 with Lavitz performing with both bands; these were his final two appearances as the keyboardist for Widespread Panic. The Dixie Dregs recorded ''Bring 'Em Back Alive'' during a tour in February. Violinist Allen Sloan, who had become an anesthesiologist, was unable to continue touring and was replaced by former [[Mahavishnu Orchestra]] violinist [[Jerry Goodman]]. That year T Lavitz won the 'Jazz Keyboardist of the Year' category of Keyboard Magazine's Annual Readers Poll. ''[[Full Circle (Dixie Dregs album)|Full Circle]]'', the first Dregs studio album in 12 years, was released in 1994. Another solo album ''Gossip'' was recorded before T joined [[Jefferson Starship]] in 1996. [[Jazz Is Dead (band)|Jazz Is Dead]] was formed at the end of 1997 with T Lavitz, [[Jimmy Herring]], [[Alphonso Johnson]] and Billy Cobham interpreting the [[Grateful Dead]]'s music in a jazzy, instrumental vein. ''[[Blue Light Rain]]'' was recorded during the first tour in 1998. Billy Cobham was replaced by Rod Morgenstein and [[Jeff Sipe]] by the time the second album ''[[Laughing Water]]'' was released.

In 2015, a Jazz Is Dead CD called ''[[Grateful Jazz]]'' was released (recorded in 2004), five years after T's passing. This CD also features his Dregs bandmate [[Rod Morgenstein]], guitarist Jeff Pevar (who also produced the project), bassist David Livolsi and a number of special guests, including Alphonso Johnson, Bill Evans, Howard Levy, Luis Conte, Bill Holloman and Jerry Goodman.

The Dixie Dregs did a short tour in late August 1999. The band was joined by original members Andy West and Allen Sloan. Lavitz continued touring with Jazz Is Dead and also whenever possible with the Dixie Dregs.

In the first part of the new millennium T Lavitz took part in several projects. ''[[Endangered Species (Endangered Species album)|Endangered Species]]'', with Jimmy Herring, [[Richie Hayward]] and [[Kenny Gradney]] was released in 2001, ''[[Cosmic Farm]]'', with [[Rob Wasserman]], Craig Erickson and Jeff Sipe, was released in 2005 and ''[[Boston T Party]]'', with [[Dennis Chambers]], Jeff Berlin and Dave Fiuczynski, was released in 2006. In the summer of 2006 he began teaching at the Summer Performance Program at the Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA.

Lavitz died on October 7, 2010.<ref>[http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2010b.html Thedeadrockstarsclub.com] – accessed October 2010</ref>

==Discography==

===Solo===
*1984 ''Extended Play''
*1986 ''Storytime''
*1987 ''From The West''
*1989 ''And The Bad Habitz''
*1991 ''Mood Swing''
*1996 ''Gossip''
*2009 ''Electric''

===with Dixie Dregs===
*1980 ''[[Dregs of the Earth]]''
*1981 ''[[Unsung Heroes (Dixie Dregs album)|Unsung Heroes]]''
*1982 ''[[Industry Standard]]''
*1988 ''Off The Record''
*1989 ''The Best Of The Dregs – Divided We Stand''
*1992 ''Bring 'Em Back Alive''
*1994 ''[[Full Circle (Dixie Dregs album)|Full Circle]]''
*1997 ''King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: Dixie Dregs''
*2000 ''California Screamin'''

===with Jazz Is Dead===
*1998 ''[[Blue Light Rain]]''
*1999 ''[[Laughing Water]]''
*2001 ''[[Great Sky River (album)|Great Sky River]]''
*2015 ''[[Grateful Jazz]]''

===with The Bluesbusters===
*1986 ''Accept No Substitute''
*1987 ''This Time''

===with Jefferson Starship===
*1999 ''[[Windows of Heaven (album)|Windows of Heaven]]''

===Projects===
*1987 Players – ''Players''
*1992 The Connection – ''Inside Out''
*2001 Jimmy Herring, T Lavitz, Richie Hayward, Kenny Gradney – ''[[Endangered Species (Endangered Species album)|Endangered Species]]''
*2005 Rob Wasserman, Craig Erickson, T Lavitz, Jeff Sipe – ''[[Cosmic Farm]]''
*2006 Dennis Chambers, Jeff Berlin, Dave Fiuczynski, T Lavitz – ''[[Boston T Party]]''
*2007 T Lavitz, Dave Weckl, John Patitucci, Frank Gambale, Steve Morse, Jerry Goodman – ''[[School of the Arts (album)|School of the Arts]]''

===other appearances===
*1979 University of Miami Concert Jazz Band – ''Halcyon Days''
*1980 [[Darryl Rhoades]] and the HaHaVishnu Orchestra – ''Burgers From Heaven''
*1981 Projections – ''Projections''
*1983 [[Art in America (band)|Art in America]] – ''Art In America''
*1983 [[Paul Barrere]] – ''[[On My Own Two Feet]]''
*1984 John Macey – ''Meltdown''
*1984 [[Steve Morse]] Band – ''[[The Introduction (album)|The Introduction]]''
*1984 Paul Barrere – ''Real Lies''
*1984 Stretch – ''Stretch''
*1985 Steve Morse Band – ''[[Stand Up (Steve Morse Band album)|Stand Up]]''
*1985 [[Nils Lofgren]] – ''[[Flip (album)|Flip]]''
*1985 [[Jeff Berlin]] & Vox Humana – ''Champion''
*1985 Electric Tigers – ''Electric Tigers''
*1987 [[Mark O'Connor]] – ''Stone From Which The Arch Was Made''
*1987 [[Bruce Hampton|Col. Bruce Hampton]] – ''[[Arkansas (Bruce Hampton album)|Arkansas]]''
*1987 Electric Tigers – ''Here To Stay''
*1988 [[Widespread Panic]] – ''[[Space Wrangler]]''
*1989 Steve Morse – ''[[High Tension Wires]]''
*1990 Lonesome Val – ''Lonesome Val''
*1991 [[David Becker]] Tribune – ''[[In Motion (David Becker Tribune album)|In Motion]]''
*1991 Widespread Panic – ''[[Widespread Panic (album)|Widespread Panic]]''
*1992 Various Artists – ''Legacy II: A Collection Of Singer Songwriters''
*1992 Kiko – ''Kiko''
*1992 [[Dave LaRue]] – ''Hub City Kid''
*1992 Bob Mansueto – ''Like A Stranger''
*1993 Glenn Alexander – ''Rainbow's Revenge''
*1994 [[Steve Bailey]] – ''Evolution''
*1994 Jeff Richman – ''The Blue Heart''
*1995 [[Catfish Hodge]] – ''Like A Big Dog Barkin'''
*1995 [[Greg Koch (musician)|Greg Koch]] And The Tone Controls – ''Strat's Got Your Tongue''
*1995 [[Gary Tanin]] – ''Sublime Nation''
*1996 [[Kacee Clanton]] – ''Seeing Red''
*1997 [[Pat Benatar]] – ''[[Innamorata (album)|Innamorata]]''
*1998 [[Peter Himmelman]] – ''Love Thinketh No Evil''
*1998 [Soundtrack] – ''The Souler Opposite''
*1998 [[Robbie Krieger]] – ''[[Cinematix]]''
*1998 Jeff Richman – ''Sand Dance''
*2000 [[Soulfarm]] – ''Live At Wetlands''
*2000 Jim Stubblefield – ''Cities Of Gold''
*2000 Inasense – ''Get Your Shinebox''
*2001 [[C Lanzbom]] – ''From This Day On''
*2002 [[Andy West]] With Rama – ''Rama 1''
*2002 Candlewyck – ''Play''
*2002 Candlewyck – ''Once Up''
*2003 Bluestrain – ''Dancing With My Baby''
*2003 Widespread Panic – ''[[Panic in the Streets (album)|Panic In The Streets]]''
*2003 Peter Himmelman – ''My Best Friend Is A Salamander''
*2003 Roy Vogt – ''Simplicity''
*2003 Zyg – ''To The Rescue''
*2005 Steve Yanek – ''Across The Landscape''
*2007 Woody Moran – ''Tu-Toned Stranger''
*2008 Teresa Storch – ''Stream Of Concrete''
*2009 Laura Siersema – ''Talon of The Blackwater''
*2010 Julien Kasper Band – ''Trance Groove''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.myspace.com/tlavitz T Lavitz on MySpace]
*[http://www.honesttune.com/content/view/242/33/ Interview from honesttune.com]

{{Widespread Panic}}
{{Jefferson Starship}}
{{Dixie Dregs}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lavitz, T}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:21st-century American keyboardists]]
[[Category:Musicians from New Jersey]]
[[Category:American jazz keyboardists]]
[[Category:Dixie Dregs members]]
[[Category:Widespread Panic members]]
[[Category:Interlochen Center for the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Jefferson Starship members]]
[[Category:Soulfarm members]]
[[Category:Jazz Is Dead members]]
[[Category:20th-century American keyboardists]]