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Those Great Background Musicians


Lucky

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I've been thinking about this thread for a while. Since the Rock Star thread prompted some discussion about them, I thought I would.

So what about those backup musicians? Not necessarily just the backup singers, but the musicians themselves as well. How many of them went on to great solo careers of their own? I can think of a few just off the top of my head.

Just think of the Eagles. In that group of musicians and singers we have the Eagles themselves, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, and JD Souther. Stevie Ray Vaughan was featured on Bowies' album Let's Dance. Sheryl Crowe was a backup singer for Michael Jackson of all people. Leon Russell parlayed a career as a studio musician into becoming a performer, writer and producer of hits. The Allman Brothers, and Eric Clapton, and Bonnie Bramlett (along with Delaney)collaberated and contributed to one another's songs constantly. How about those fabulous Funk Brothers, the studio musicians that played on almost every Motown Hit released....

There are so many more. Which singers and musicians can you think of that either made huge careers of being in the background, or used that experience to build their own careers?

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Russ Kunkel a drummer that has worked wiht so many artists like Linda Rondstat, Carly Simon, James Taylor, BB King, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand and others. Very respected in the music world.

Also Rosemary Butler was a backup singer for Jackson Browne on most of his albums and tours and she has a couple of albums of her own out now. Love her voice.

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:bow: :bow:

The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section: Jimmy Johnson , Roger Hawkins, David Hood and Barry Beckett.

Double sets of bows to them all !!

:bow: :bow: :bow:

The Funk Brothers fascinate me. Though the line up changes some, for the most part the group was made up of pretty much the same guys. They backed up almost every single hit song produced by Motown. That's a heck of a lot of hit songs, all driven by that famous Detroit Rhythm, a sound made famous by those same men from 1959 to 1972.

Here's a YouTube clip from "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown" :

The Funk Brothers Today.... with Joan Osborne

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The horn section of The Tower of Power has been used by many artists since the 60's including The Beatles,Little Feat,Elton John,Rod Stewert,Heart,Phish,Poison,Lyle Lovett,Aerosmith and many others.

On the country side,artists who are and were used a great deal by many performers both in country and other genres include Chet Atkins,Vince Gill,Patty Lovless,Allison Krauss and her band Union Station,Sons of the Desert,Marty Stuart,Johnny Cash,June Carter Cash,Loretta Lynn as well as many,many others.

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While Steve Lukather is best known for his work as Toto's lead guitarist, he has played on albums by Don Henley, Warren Zevon, Aretha Franklin and he has performed on stage with Jeff Beck.

Ry Cooder, a fantastic multi-instrumentalist has worked with The Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Eric Clapton among others. He also worked on and contributed songs to the "Long Riders" movie soundtrack.

Nicky Hopkins has played piano on songs by many of Britain's rock royalty, including The Beatles, The Stones, Joe Cocker and Peter Frampton.

David Lindley is best known as the lead/slide guitarist on many Jackson Browne albums, but he has also worked on projects by Little Feat, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan and Graham Nash, among others. Like Ry Cooder, he is a virtuoso on many different stringed instruments. He has also recorde several albums with his band El Rayo-X.

Danny Kortchmar has played guitar on tunes by Carole King, Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor.

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Lookit here son, I say son, did ya see that hawk after those hens? He scared 'em! That Rhode Island Red turned white. Then blue. Rhode Island. Red, white, and blue. That's a joke, son. A flag waver. You're built too low. The fast ones go over your head. Ya got a hole in your glove. I keep pitchin' 'em and you keep missin' 'em. Ya gotta keep your eye on the ball. Eye. Ball. I almost had a gag, son. Joke, that is.

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