Domingo Steven "Sunny" Ortiz (born July 4, 1952) is an American musician best known as the longtime percussionist for Widespread Panic.

Life and career

Domingo Ortiz was born in 1952 to Victor and Faye Ortiz. He is of

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

heritage and grew up in Waco, Texas. With his parents' help, he bought his first drum kit as a teenager. He played his first professional gig at the age of 15 in the 1960s at a bar with his Uncle Cruz's band. His parents were initially against the idea of him performing with a rock band but came around to the idea when they learned he would be paid $35 for the performance. Ortiz began his career on a standard drum set, but shifted to

bongo Bongo may refer to: Entertainment * ''Bongo'' (Australian TV series), on air from August to November 1960 * Bongo Comics, a comic book publishing company * Bongo (''Dragon Ball'') or Krillin, a character in ''Dragon Ball'' media * ''Bongo'' ...

congas The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest) ...

, timbales and other percussion instruments as a way to distinguish himself from other drummers in Texas. In 1986 he moved to Athens, Georgia where he met up with the members of the newly formed Widespread Panic. Playing percussion, he performed with them for the first time on October 6, 1986. He continued to sit in with them regularly when they played in Georgia for the next couple of years before accepting their formal offer to join the band in late 1988 or early 1989. He has performed with them at every concert they have played since then. He has also appeared on every album they have recorded including their debut, ''

Space Wrangler ''Space Wrangler'' is the first studio album by the Athens, GA based band Widespread Panic. It was first released by a small Atlanta label, Landslide Records, on February 4, 1988. It was later reissued four times, the first two times by Capricorn ...

'', which was recorded shortly before he officially joined the band. Unlike most of his band mates, Ortiz has not performed with many other groups professionally since joining the band. He did, however, perform on the late Widespread Panic guitarist Michael Houser's debut solo album ''

Door Harp ''Door Harp'' is the first solo studio album by Michael Houser, former lead guitarist of Widespread Panic, released posthumously on September 24, 2002, on Sanctuary Records. Recorded in John Keane's studio in Athens, GA in March 2002, the all-i ...

'' and current Widespread Panic keyboardist

John Hermann John "JoJo" Hermann is an American singer, musician and songwriter, best known for his involvement in the band Widespread Panic. Early life He was born in New York City and attended Collegiate School, where he was a classmate of actor Billy W ...

's debut solo album '' Smiling Assassin''. He was not a member of

brute. Brute (stylized brute.) was a side project band by guitarist Vic Chesnutt and members of Widespread Panic. History The first known grouping of Chesnutt with the members of the band was at John Keane's studio in Athens, Georgia. There, the collab ...

, a band active from 1995 to 2002 that included all of the other members of Widespread Panic and Vic Chesnutt, but he did perform on their second album ''

Co-Balt ''Co-Balt'' is the second studio album by the Athens, Georgia-based band brute., a collaboration between guitarist Vic Chesnutt and the members of Widespread Panic. It was released seven years after the band's debut release, '' Nine High a Palle ...

''.

References

External links

Widespread Panic official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ortiz, Domingo 1952 births Living people Widespread Panic members American percussionists 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians