Bassist
A bassist is a musician who plays a bass guitar or double bass. This page lists famous bassists in four categories, depending on whether they are primarily known for playing bass guitar, double bass, both, or their main instrument is unknown. Certain musical genres tend to use one or the other (for example, bass guitar for rock and roll or pop music but double bass for classical music and jazz) but the rule is not hard and fast.
The lists are organised by alphabetical order of first name and brief mention may be made of their specific contribution or famous groups they have worked with.
Table of contents |
Bass guitar
- Abraham "Abe" Laboriel (important LA session player, known for his work with Koinonia)
- Adam Clayton (Bassist for U2)
- Alain Caron (bassist in Uzeb, 6 string, fretless)
- Alex Fenn (electric jazz bass player who plays a 1976 Fender Mustang Bass)
- Andy Rourke (bassist with The Smiths, known for his "song within a song" basslines)
- Anthony Jackson (pioneer on the six string bass, work with Chick Corea, Chaka Khan, O'Jays, Quincy Jones)
- Aston Barrett
- Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac from the Jacques Loussier Trio
- Bernard Edwards founder member of Chic, whose Good Times is one of the most sampled/copied bass lines ever recorded
- Berry Oakley (of the Allman Brothers Band, compelling melodic lines underneath guitar solos)
- Bill Wyman (of The Rolling Stones)
- Billy Gould (bassist for Faith No More)
- Billy Sheehan (rock bass virtuoso, known for wild playing style such as tapping and harmonics bending etc.)
- Bootsy Collins (pioneering funk bassist)
- Brian Bromberg (Jazz fusion)
- Brian Ritchie (bassist in Violent Femmes)
- Brian Wilson (sometime Beach Boys bassist)
- Carol Kaye (the most recorded bassist in history)
- Chris Squire (innovator of progressive rock with Yes, speed-picking melodic style on trademark Rickenbacker 4001)
- Cliff Burton from Metallica
- Colin Greenwood from Radiohead
- D'Arcy Wretzky formerly of The Smashing Pumpkins
- Dave Pegg (British folk-rock bassist who brought fluidity to the genre's bass style: also played rock with Jethro Tull)
- Dee Dee Ramone One of the founding four members of The Ramones
- Dee Murray (played on classic Elton John recordings, further developed style pioneered by McCartney)
- Donald "Duck" Dunn – pioneering soul bassist for the Mar-Keys, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, and the Blues Brothers, heard on large numbers of Stax recordings
- Doug Wimbish (pioneer of hip hop bass playing, worked with Sugarhill Gang, Living Colour, Mick Jagger, Joe Satriani)
- Duff McKagen (former bassist for Guns N' Roses and now plays for Velvet Revolver)
- Gary Willis (one of the finest post-Jaco bassists, known for his playing with Tribal Tech as well as his solo work)
- Geddy Lee from Rush
- Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
- Geoff Kresge (formerly of Tiger Army and AFI)
- Glenn Cornick founding bass player with Jethro Tull
- Glenn Hughes from Deep Purple
- Guy Berryman from Coldplay
- Jack Bruce (vocalist in Cream, pioneered a melodic, contrapuntal approach)
- Jack Casady (free-form jazz-rock in Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna—true progenitor of "jam-bands")
- Jaco Pastorius
- James Jamerson
- Jason Newsted from Voivod, formerly of Metallica
- Jeff Berlin extraordinary bassist and teacher
- Jeordie White from A Perfect Circle
- Jimmy Haslip (plays with strings arranged "upside down")
- Jimmy Johnson
- Jimmy Lea original bassist with Slade, an excellent songwriter and bass / violin virtuoso
- Joey DeMaio from Manowar
- John Deacon (one of the most influential bassist for Queen)
- John Entwistle from The Who
- John Myung (of Dream Theater, noted for incredible speed and virtuosity, master of bass tapping technique)
- John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin
- Justin Chancellor from Tool (band)
- Kim Clarke (bassist in Defunkt, seamless switching between fingerstyle funk and slap)
- Kim Deal (bassist for The Pixies and The Breeders)
- Kim Gordon (bassist of Sonic Youth)
- Larry Graham (originator of 'slap bass' technique)
- Lemmy Kilmister from Motörhead
- Leon Wilkeson from Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Les Claypool from Primus (band)
- Lincoln Goines
- Louis Johnson (pioneer of the slapping technique, work with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones)
- Marcus Miller
- Mark Hoppus from blink-182
- Mark King (bassist with Level 42, known for his very fast slapping techniques, also sang at the same time)
- Matt Freeman (bassist for Rancid and Operation Ivy)
- M. Chvasta from Light Pupil Dilate
- Me'shell Ndegeocello
- Michael Balzary a.k.a "Flea" (bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, incorporates fingerstyle funk, slap, and punk styles)
- Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Michael MacIvor (bassist for Candiria, technical five string jazz bass playing paired with metal/hardcore)
- Michael Manring (innovative work with multiple alternate tunings)
- Mick Karn (bassist and multi-instrumentalist with the band Japan)
- Miiko Watanabe from the Screamin' Sirens and American Girls
- Mike Dirnt from Green Day
- Mike Gordon from Phish
- Mike Rutherford from Genesis
- Mike Watt (unpredictable bassist for The Minutemen)
- John Taylor from Duran Duran
- Nikki Sixx from Mötley Crüe
- Noel Redding from The Jimi Hendrix Experience
- Paul McCartney (the legendary musician behind Beatles' melodic lines)
- Peter Hook from New Order, Monaco and Joy Division.
- Phil Lesh from The Grateful Dead
- Phil Lynott (of Thin Lizzy)
- Phil Thornalley
- Pino Palladino (fretless playing)
- Reginald Arvizu aka "Fieldy" (bassist for Korn)
- Richard Hell (pioneering punk rock bassist)
- Rick Danko (one of the leaders in jazz/rock bass playing style. Bass player, guitarist and vocalist for The Band)
- Rick James (renowned funk bassist)
- Robert Trujillo (bassist for Infectious Grooves, Suicidal Tendencies, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica)
- Francis "Rocco" Prestia from Tower Of Power
- Roger Glover from Deep Purple
- Roger Waters from Pink Floyd
- Ross Valory from Journey
- Ryan Martinie from Mudvayne
- Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols
- Simon Gallup
- Stanley Clarke
- Steve DiGiorgio (using fretless guitar, he played in Death, Testament, Iced Earth, Vintersorg)
- Steve Harris from Iron Maiden
- Steve Lawson
- Steve Severin
- Suzi Quatro
- Tim Foreman from Switchfoot
- Tom Jenkinson aka Squarepusher
- Tom Petersson (12 string bass)
- Tony Levin (known for playing the Chapman Stick as well as conventional bass guitar in the studio and with bands including King Crimson and Peter Gabriel)
- Twiggy Ramirez (Marilyn Manson)
- Victor Wooten from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
- Will Lee
Double bass
- Wellman Braud
- Brian Bromberg
- Ray Brown
- Ron Carter
- Mark Dresser
- Pops Foster
- Milt Hinton
- Bill Johnson
- Edgar Meyer
- Charles Mingus
- Bob Moore
- Slam Stewart
- Danny Thompson from Pentangle
See also: Double bass
Bass guitar and double bass
- Stanley Clarke
- John Patitucci
- Brian Bromberg
- Sting from The Police
Unknown
- Kelly Grouchet from Electric Light Orchestra
See also
Categories: Bassists | Music occupations