Rikki Don't Lose That Number

In 2016 Jeff "Skunk" Baxter won the TEC Les Paul Innovation Award from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM).  Best known as lead guitarist for Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers, the breadth and extent of Baxter's musical career is impressive.  He has extensive credits as a studio musician having recorded with, among others, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Rod Stewart, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Gene Simmons, Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, and Donna Summer and toured with Elton John and Linda Ronstadt.  Baxter's also composed and produced movie soundtracks.

Starting in the 1990s, Skunk embarked on a parallel career.  Always looking for new technical advances in the audio and recording fields he began reading related material on electronics in the defense industry.  In turn, that prompted him to make some unsolicited proposals for improvements, particularly in the field of missile defense.  After overcoming the incredulity of defense contractors and government officials, he began consulting for Northrup Grumman, General Dynamics, the Department of Defense, U.S. intelligence agencies, and chaired a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense.

For the NAMM TEC awards, Baxter put together a band to perform Steely Dan's Rikki Don't Lose That Number.  Vocalist Kipp Lennon sounds eerily like Donald Fagen of the Dan.  Kipp is the youngest of eleven children; four of his older sisters comprised the Lennon Sisters whom anyone who ever saw The Lawrence Welk Show will remember.

We hear you're leaving, that's okay
I thought our little wild time had just begun
I guess you kind of scared yourself, you turn and run
But if you have a change of heart

Rikki don't lose that number
You don't want to call nobody else

You can watch a tribute video and then Baxter's speech about music and weapons systems starting around 5:30 on the video below.

If you'd like to hear more on Skunk's thoughts on unconventional warfare and unconventional thinking watch this.