Neil’s artistic vision is one of color and humor. His humor is both whimsical and thought- provoking. He was drawn to paintings and wall sculptures. As with many artists, the mind is a complicated and complex space which Neil was able to capture on canvas, as demonstrated in his 2015 painting “Wired for Sound”. In this piece, he takes us on a private, visual journey through the mind of the musician, allowing us to witness the depths inside his "musician's mind", under the circuitry of thought and the color of sound. During his extensive music career as a bass player, song writer, band leader, vocalist and producer, Neil collaborated with just about every variety of notable musicians alive, from Rick James to the Oscar winning composer James Newton Howard. Other noteworthy associations included Billy Joel, Steve Miller, Dave Mason, Bruce Palmer, Lita Ford, David Clayton Thomas and Charlie Musselwhite.

He started his career in Toronto in the 1960s under the name Bobby Neilson. In 1964, he joined The Reflections, a local group that changed its name a few times before settling on The Just Us in early 1965. The group recorded one single in 1965, but some copies were released under different names. In 1966, the band recorded an album's worth of material but the tapes were stolen by their manager. They continued to perform regularly in Toronto, and in June 1966, Bobby, now known as Neil Lillie, took over bass duties after Wayne Davis left the band. The group changed its name to The Tripp in September 1966 after another group claimed their name. The Tripp became known for their experimental approach to performance and played at various venues in Toronto.

The Tripp appearance on the Sunday Show, Canada 1960’s Neil eventually would go on to join The Mynah Birds. The Mynah Birds were a legendary Canadian band fronted by Ricky James Matthews, better known as Rick James that originally included Neil Young and Bruce Palmer. That version split up due to Rick James’ legal issues, and was a catalyst in the formation of Buffalo Springfield. Once Rick’s legal issues were sorted, he reformed the Mynah Birds in 1967, with Neil on bass. The band went to Motown to record but these sessions were never released. Lillie returned to Toronto and recruited new members, including Marty Fisher and Gordie MacBain. Bruce Cockburn joined the band as a guitarist, and they renamed themselves The Flying Circus. They were offered a contract, but Cockburn rejected it. Merryweather left The Flying Circus in March 1968 to form a new band with former Tripp members. The band adopted the name ‘Heather Merryweather’ after the title of one of their songs. They recorded three demos and with Bruce Palmer’s urging, decided to go to LA. What’s it all About - Merryweather

In 1968, Neil and the band headed for LA. He remained in the LA area for most of his life until settling in Las Vegas in 2013. During his time in Los Angeles he had a Zelig-like ability to collide with music history. He was a part of all that was taking place at that time from turning down an offer from Stephen Stills to join Crosby, Stills and Nash as their bass player to recording Billy Joel’s demo of Piano Man that got him his recording contract. Whose band “Mama Lion” was Oscar winning composer’s James Newton Howard’s first band after college. Unmixed rough recording - From the jam session with Billy Joel Sunshine Superman - Neil Merryweather Space Rangers Star Rider - Space Rangers Kryptonite Hollywood Heavy - Neil Merryweather Differences In addition to his musical prowess, Neil explored other endeavors, including acting, painting and even costume design. He designed the wardrobe for Lita Fords, “Out for Blood” Album and Nikki Sixx’s gauntlet. His foray into the visual arts demonstrated his creative range and passion for expression beyond the confines of music. Shocking - Title song from Hundred Watt Head

Throughout his career, Neil Merryweather's dedication to pushing artistic boundaries and embracing musical diversity from his blues based albums to his psychedelic rock of the Space Rangers in the 1970’s to his hard rock albums most recently collaborating with Swedish guitarist Janne Stark and drummer John Wackerman. He is a respected figure in the industry and his legacy continues to resonate with fans and fellow musicians alike, marking him as a pivotal contributor to the ever-evolving landscape of rock and blues. Rockers Lament - Merryweather Stark, Carved in Rock Mean Streets - Merryweather Stark, Rock Solid Judgement Day - Merryweather Stark and Wackerman, Cosmic Affect Sadly, we lost Neil in March of 2021. His last painting endeavor was a three paneled painting entitled, “What in the World”, reaching 5 ½ ft by 13 ft. It is an artistic statement of a universally shared moment in time captured and expressed in a way that only Neil could. Color, humor and thought-provoking fanciful frolic.