![]() ![]() These guys would be shown the bones of a song, work up their parts and record what we now hear as the finished track in a matter of hours. The Funk Brothers were jazz musicians who had been recruited by Motown boss Berry Gordy, who for many years maintained a typically full schedule of recording during the day at Motown’s small garage “Studio A”, nicknamed ‘The Snakepit’. There are plenty of unsung heroes in music – producers, engineers, record company executives, songwriters, session players – but James Jamerson has to be one of the most overlooked unsung heroes in the history of music… ever.Īs one of The Funk Brothers he was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records hits from the late 50’s, through the label’s golden era in the 60’s and the early 70’s. He eventually performed on nearly 30 No.1 pop hits. As one of The Funk Brothers he was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records’ hits in the 1960s and early 1970s including songs by Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops and The Supremes. In 2003, Babbitt played on Marion James' album, Essence, on Soulfood Records, and amongst others playing on the record were Beegie Adair, Reese Wynans, Jack Pearson (The Allman Brothers), and drummer Chucki Burke.īob Babbitt died on July 16, 2012, aged 74, from brain cancer.On August 2nd, 1983, James Jamerson died of complications stemming from cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure and pneumonia in Los Angeles, he was 47 years old. He appeared on stage in an episode of American Idol, backing up Jacob Lusk's performance of "You're All I Need To Get By" for AI's Motown Week in March 2011. ![]() He accepted an offer from Phil Collins to perform on his album of Motown and 1960s soul classics, Going Back, and also appeared in Collins' Going Back - Live At Roseland Ballroom, NYC concert DVD. He also played bass on Cindy Bullens' 1978 album, Desire Wire. He played on the Jimi Hendrix album Crash Landing. He participated in hundreds of other hits, including "Little Town Flirt" by Del Shannon, "I Got a Name" by Jim Croce, and "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band. ![]() The Pittsburgh-born Babbitt's most notable bass performances include "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" by Stevie Wonder, "War" by Edwin Starr, "The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and "Inner City Blues" by Marvin Gaye, "Band Of Gold" by Freda Payne, "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" by The Temptations. During this time his most notable successes were "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips and "The Rubberband Man" by The Spinners. In this new city he worked on recordings for Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow, Gloria Gaynor, Robert Palmer, and Alice Cooper. When Motown moved to Los Angeles, Babbit went in the opposite direction and ended up in New York while making occasional trips to Philadelphia. ![]() He is ranked number 59 on Bass Player magazine's list of "The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time".īabbitt traded off sessions with original Motown bassist James Jamerson. Also in 1968, with Mike Campbell, Ray Monette and Andrew Smith he formed the band Scorpion, which lasted until 1970. Bob Babbitt (born Robert Kreinar Novem– July 16, 2012) was a Hungarian-American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records' studio band, the Funk Brothers, from 1966 to 1972, as well as his tenure as part of MFSB for Philadelphia International Records afterwards. ![]()
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