Bass players who can't (won't) sing

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Useless. Wish I had that job.

Rick Barnhart · From: Arizona, USA

While I'm playing acoustic, I'm not a terrible singer, but when I try to play bass at the same time, YIKES! I have no idea why my brain works like that.
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Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

Better be a really good bass player then. Wink

Steve Alonzo Walker · From: Spartanburg,S.C. USA (deceased)

There was a guy at George Jones's long ago club in Nashville who played drums with one hand, bass with the other hand, and sang all at the same time and did a great job of it!

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

a tip of the brim to Paul Mc Cartney, Jack Bruce & Sting Winking

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Wonder if Vic Wooten sings ? YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

CrowBear, I agree. Brian Wilson also. Real musician/bass players. A bad bass player can destroy a good band.

Roger Miller · From: Cedar Falls, Ia.

No Sing?......might as well be playing a banjo

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

My friend Michelle Poe can sing and play bass at the same time, so can my friend Sheri Dresser. Sheri plays bass onstage with me and Tommy Dodd at steel guitar shows in Georgia. Also you've got bass players like Terry McBride-former bass player with Brooks & Dunn and also had his own group called McBride & The Ride-they had a few country hits in the early '90s-all of them included great steel, and also Russell DeCarle, lead singer/bass player for Canadian Western Swing band Prairie Oyster, which steel guitarist Dennis Delorme is a member. All these bass players are great players and singers.

Brett

Stephen Silver · From: Asheville, NC

My tip of the hat to Bootsy Collins and Larry Graham.

S
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Yeah, bass is such a no brainer instrument.....nothing to it, a baby could do it. Rolling Eyes

What an insult.

Where is it written that a bassist must do something else to validate him as a musician? I know lots of bass players, some sing some don't. Same as players of other instruments.

Usually statements like this are made by people that only think they know how to play the instrument.

Mike Schwartzman · From: Maryland, USA

So after hearing a playback of a recorded live gig the lead guitar player/ singer said:

"Hey Slim (that's me) with you on bass and Chip (that gig's drummer) on drums, I could have been playing a chain saw and it would have sounded great"

That's one of the nicest compliments I've ever been honored to receive as a bass player. I can only hope that my steel playing comes along half as well. I'm working on it, but any old time I'll be happy to give ya 4 strings straight from the pocket.
Thanks Jerry Overstreet for your comments and to all that appreciate a solid rhythm section. No offense taken. Oh yeah...I sing too...even in tune sometimes Laughing

.
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Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

I have to say I don't understand this one. Some truly great musicians know enough not to inflict their vocals on an audience, others choose to concentrate only on instrumental performance. Seems like most of the steel players I've ever seen didn't sing...

I fondly remember seeing Mike Stern and Jaco Pastorius in Las Vegas. Maybe 20 people there. I was perfectly happy that no one sang.
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David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

As a great fan of intelligence in music, I'm usually happy when no one sings. With a few exceptions from the Garcia/Hunter catalog and Don Henley, "The Rain Song"... it seemed like it was all over after the good goop shot out of Bob Dylan. Modern radio "hits" with the lifespan of a gnat are unlistenable to me. "The Great American Songbook" pretty much used up, then overused, every verbal trick and cliche available, and there's nowhere to go with a song that doesn't sound derivative. Unlike instrumentalists, who still manage to sound like who they are.

Write a song without these words:

"ooh"
"baby"
"hey"
"yeah"
"la..."

can't be done. Winking

Ken Morgan · From: Midland, Texas, USA

There are 500 bass players for every good bass player. There are 500 good bass players for every great one. So many people don't know the impact a good or great bass player has on a band until they aren't there.

As for singing bassists, again, the ones that make it to the good and great category normally (I think) are aware enough of their limits and talents to know when to and when not to add vocals. There are exceptions to every rule.

Sadly, the pop 'artist' Mariah Carey (never heard her, just of her) has more #1 songs and has sold more records than The Beatles. The Beatles knew and recorded Buck Owens, Mariah Carey never heard of him I imagine...

I don't drink, but gimme a beer.
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Alan Coldiron · From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Jerry as a bass player I was offended by the tone of this and couldn't think of how to respond. I appreciate your response. [/list]

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I'm looking at this from a club playing stand point mostly. Being a utility player also. After singing lead, 3rd, and 5th, interval harmonies and playing 3-4 instruments, and carrying 3-4K in equipment, I had to glance over at mediocre bass players who don't or won't sing. I admire guys like Paul Martin in the Marty Stuart band who can sing lead and harmony and play bass (stand up also), and 2-3 other instruments also. Good bass players are in a minority. I find that the good ones can usually play other instruments also.

Mark Eaton · Posted 27 Mar 2012 9:22 am

Rick Danko - a great example of excellent playing coupled with superb vocals.

I don't play bass, or I should say I play some bass but it is only as a "dabbler." I have a gigantic appreciation for good bass players, and I don't care if they can sing or not.

As director of my church band, I have to deal with the constant "accordion effect" of availability of volunteer musicians or lack thereof. Once in awhile we have to go "bassless," and as alluded to by an earlier poster, you don't know how much you miss the bass player until you don't have one.

And I also know some people who are pretty good guitar players, can sing and strum all day long, but they have a difficult time singing and playing bass at the same time.
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David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

That was brought up by Rich Barnhart too, and it's a good point. Strumming chords on an acoustic as secondary to the singing is easy, but a good bass part isn't a secondary function, particularly when so much of the interesting points of singing are when the vocals go "against the grain" of the song - and the bass player is playing the grain, you'd sure hope. It's like all these ads for the magic do-stompy boxes that let your lead/bass/rhythm guitar "cut through the mix" - who the hell, pray tell, is playing THE MIX, THEN?!? Mad

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Rick Danko was the man.

Chuck Thompson · From: Illinois, USA

As ive gotten older i have gotten grumpy about bass players (and drummers). Good bass players are worth their weight in gold and rare. If they sing they fall into platinum range imo. I feel it is far from a utility position. There is soooo much more to playing bass (or any instument) than hitting the right note and being somewhat in time.

working with a drummer and bass player who arent locked and grooving is like trying to ride a jello pony.

Ive heard many a band with good vocals and soloists but overall they sound like a broken washing machine because of a bad bass player or drummer or both. Im surprised how many singers and soloists dont even notice they are in a mess like that. On the other hand I know one band leader who has a great singing drummer but doesnt even use the drummers voice because the leader is that conscious of the importance of the groove and doesnt want to do anything that would risk losing that.

I dont mean to come off like I think I am something because I am NOT but I sure feel fortunate to work with a drummer and bass player who do know what the groove is and sing their butts off. As for me - i have the special gift of being able to sing flat and sharp at the same time and the horrid curse of being able to hear it

Ray Mangrum · From: Nashville, TN.

Well Said Chuck,
You might be able to sound horrible singing, I don't know, never heard you, but I can say you play one "FANTASTIC" guitar.

Chuck Thompson · From: Illinois, USA

Ray thanks you are too kind. Hope we can get together again next time you come thru town. I wanna set next to you and steal some more of youre awesome licks from you. Very Happy

Ray Mangrum · From: Nashville, TN.

I don't know about the quality, but you're more than welcome to get all you can any time. Great pickin witrh you

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

I always wanted to be a bass player because a music tract wasn't complete without it....but I was never good enough to compete with all those great bass players in the business!

Come to think about it, I wasn't that great as a steel player either!
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