Lizzy Daymont

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Lizzy Daymont’s musical upbringing destined her to a life on stage and in studio. “My whole family was musical – my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. We’d all sing around Grandma’s piano after a big dinner gathering. When I was 6 I would get up on the piano bench at home and pick out melodies by ear.” Daymont says. Piano lessons turned into guitar lessons, along with a brief stint on alto sax in school band, then by age 15 Lizzy found the bass. A steady diet of 70’s and 80’s FM radio informed her musical tastes, along with her older brother’s record collection. “I would listen to bands like Rush, Yes and Led Zeppelin and would focus on a different instrument each time. I sort of couldn’t decide which one I wanted to play so I did them all, even sneaking in some time on my older brother’s drum kit when no one else was home.” 

Eventually deciding that bass was her true calling, at age 17 Daymont headed off to Boston to study bass performance at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. She immersed herself in the study of jazz, traditional counterpoint, songwriting, production and arranging. After working with a number of bands there she sought a change of scenery and moved to Seattle during the “post-grunge” era. Since then Lizzy has spent over two decades playing all over the Pacific Northwest as bassist with a variety of original and cover bands. Comfortable in almost any musical setting and genre, she has hit every kind of stage imaginable, from living rooms and clubs to theaters, local TV shows and huge festivals. Styles have included Rock, Industrial Metal, Blues, Country, Current Pop and Dance covers, even ambient and psychedelic improv. 

In 2013 she was invited to join as a guitarist and backup vocalist with Heart By Heart, featuring original Heart members Steve Fossen and Michael Derosier. What had started as a fun tribute to that iconic Seattle band soon became a successful national touring act. When Heart By Heart also needed a keyboard player, Lizzy stepped up and added it in while still playing acoustic and electric guitar. 

“Even though I was most known as a bassist professionally, I always had keyboards and guitars at home that I would play on my own recordings. So some people were surprised to learn that I did more than just play bass!” When not on tour with Heart By Heart Lizzy is available as a freelancer on bass, guitar or keys. She and drummer husband Pete Johnston have a small project studio setup in their home outside of Seattle. Lizzy is also an avid motorcyclist and crazy cat lady in her spare time. 

 
Lizzy Daymont is available for the following services, schedule permitting: 

- Recording sessions, on site or remotely 
- Live gigs; local or touring, has valid passport 
- Private instruction, beginner/intermediate 
- Musical consultation, arrangement and production 

 
Selected artists Lizzy has performed/recorded with: 

- Steve Fossen (bassist/Heart) 
- Michael Derosier (drummer/Heart) 
- Alan White (drummer/Yes) 
- Geoff Downes (keyboards/Yes, Asia) 
- Jon Davison (vocalist/Yes) 
- Randy Hansen (guitarist/Hendrix Tribute) 
- Bob Rivers (radio host/Twisted Tunes) 
- Elliott Randall (guitarist/producer/Steely Dan) 
- Jerry Marotta (drummer/producer/Peter Gabriel) 
- Simon Hanhart (engineer/producer) 
- Paul Speer (guitarist/producer) 
- Tony Levin (bassist/King Crimson/Peter Gabriel) 
- Sway (Top 40/dance band) 
- Charlie Drown (Industrial metal) 
- Half Zaftig (original rock) 
- Susan Ruth Robkin (singer/songwriter)


Selected Discography: 

Click here for Audio Samples 

Heart By Heart: Reflections – New Recordings of Heart Classics (2016) 
Pretty Enemy: Pretty Enemy EP (2012) 
Charlie Drown: Theta Rhythm (2011) 
Charlie Drown: Pieces And Parts (2007) 
Half Zaftig: Life Like Luster (2006) 
Susan Ruth (Robkin): Surfacing To Breathe (2004)

For a list of Past Gigs, click here. 

Follow Lizzy

Track Heart By Heart

Gear

Lizzy currently uses and prefers:  

Instruments:  
Gibson, Taylor, Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Fender, and Charvel Guitars  
Sadowsky Basses  

Amplification:  
Fractal Audio Systems Axe-FX III, FM9 & FM3
Mesa Boogie, Aguilar, Bergantino  

Keyboards/software/recording:  
Kurzweil, Moog and Dave Smith Instruments/Sequential  
Apple Logic Pro and Mainstage  
Arturia, Spectrasonics and Addictive Keys plugins  
MOTU UltraLite Mk4 Audio Interface  

Strings, Effects, etc:  
D'Addario, Elixir, Sadowsky, DR Strings  
Strymon, Xotic Effects, TC Electronic, Fishman, EBS, Eventide
Shure Wireless Systems & Microphones
Floyd Rose Tremolo Systems 
Radial Engineering DIs  
Ultimate Ears Pro Custom In-Ear Monitors  
InTune GP custom guitar picks  
Italia Leather Straps  
ENKI, Mono, Pelican and SKB Cases  
Hercules Stands
AustinBuddy Fractal Audio Systems programming
York Audio Impulse Responses