Amid the barrage of keyboard synthesizers, drum machines, and other digital wizardry, many a bass player in the 1980s pop music medium had to further explore the instrument to maintain its relevance.

Enter Talk Talk’s founding bassist Paul Webb who worked the fretted and fretless, abetted with effects, rendering counterpoint and soulful grooves aplenty in the service of Mark Hollis’ compositions.

Dig Talk Talk “It’s My Life” https://youtu.be/cFH5JgyZK1I

A producer, writer – nowadays Webb works under the moniker “Rustin Man” with two slabs to his credit.

Paul as Rustin Man “Judgement Train” https://youtu.be/IgBs42v3l0k

By Graham Maby

 

I knew Doyle Holly as the tour bus driver. He was a good driver who kept the bus fastidiously clean. He could be kinda grumpy, but I liked him.

 

It was around 2001 and we pulled up outside a college somewhere in the Midwest. There was a fan standing with a 12” album cover and a Sharpie, and as I got off the bus this guy asked me if Doyle Holly was on board. I was confused and curious. Doyle got off the bus and graciously signed the cover. It was an album by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. That’s how I found out about Doyle’s illustrious career and impressive history. Over the ensuing weeks I hung with him a lot, we became chess buddies, and he shared a few stories. I wish I could remember them all.

 

Originally from Oklahoma, Doyle Holly held it down on bass during the heyday of Buck Owens’ Buckaroos, progenitors of the “Bakersfield Sound,” who had more than 30 Top Forty singles on the country music charts in the 1960s and early 70s and were a hugely influential band of fine musicians. During Holly’s tenure, the Buckaroos won the Academy of Country Music’s “Band Of The Year” award four years in a row from 1965-68, and won as “Instrumental Group of the Year” twice, in 1967 and 1968. Holly himself was nominated several times as “Bass Player of the Year” by the ACM, receiving the award in 1970.

 

The band recorded a live album at Carnegie Hall in 1966, which Holly said was his favorite recording as a Buckaroo. It is widely regarded as one of the best live albums in country music history. The Beatles famously recorded one of the Buckaroos’ hits, “Act Naturally,” on their 1965 album “Help!” Wikipedia states that “while on tour in London in 1969, Holly, Owens and (guitarist) Don Rich met up with John Lennon and Ringo Starr.”

 

However, Doyle himself told me a different story: Owens had told the band that the Beatles wanted to meet them during a day off on tour. Doyle and Don Rich had already planned to rent motorcycles and go riding that day, so that’s what they did. They weren’t so impressed by the Beatles that they were willing to miss out on a day’s riding!

 

After he finally left the Buckaroos in 1971, Holly formed the Vanishing Breed and recorded two albums and some of his own songs, such as “Woman Truck Drivin’ Fool,” “Queen of the Silver Dollar,” and “Lila,” which reached number 17 on the country music charts in 1973. Holly continued to record throughout the 1970s and scored a minor hit with “A Rainbow in My Hand” and a jukebox hit, “Richard and the Cadillac Kings.”

 

Holly is honored in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and in 1980 received a block in the Walkway of Stars at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Tiring of the road, Doyle opened “Doyle Holly Music” in Hendersonville, Tennessee in 1982, finally selling the store a few years before his death in 2007. He also continued to play a handful of gigs across the United States and Canada, and as Wikipedia states, “for a time Holly even drove tour buses….”

 

That’s when I had the good luck to meet him and know him—thanks to that fan with the album cover. But dang, I wish I could have seen and heard him play.

 

Doyle Holly Sound & Vision…

 

Doyle Holly / The Buckaroos “He’ll Have to Go” (Live / Video) https://youtu.be/hnXziQKI8vk

 

“Streets of Laredo” (Live / Video) https://youtu.be/_f2T4zGxcok

 

“Queen of the Silver Dollar (Live / Video) https://youtu.be/Zo3YLPAwkgQ

 

“Woman Truck Drivin’ Fool” by The Buckaroos (Album Cut) https://youtu.be/frKanRCRIEk

 

“Truck Drivin’ Man” Doyle, Buck Owens, Don Rich (Live Video) https://youtu.be/uP3tkWz_aX8

 

“Richard and the Cadillac Kings” (Album Cut) https://youtu.be/AAjOBn9aZCI

 

“Lila” https://youtu.be/ix64h-4QiX8

 

“A Rainbow In My Hand” (Single) https://youtu.be/P5UflOnN0nc

 

“Act Naturally” (Live / Video) https://youtu.be/gUGc5hANR3U

His sound and vibe is unmistakable…and instantly identifiable!

Among the most influential contemporary bassists in the 21st Century, Joe Dart darts up and down the fretboard with flawless fluidity in the service of fun funksters Vulfpeck – who prove that bands can actually reach the masses in the post album era.

Inspired by Michael Peter Balzary, EWF’s Verdine White, Francis Rocco Prestia, and the immortal Jaco – Dart, with his treble tone dominating, is a dexterous player whose passages quote Motown / Philly soul classics whilst pushing a harmonic and rhythmic envelope or two.

Dig Dart doin’ his “Beastly Solo” https://youtu.be/I8eUyaF_RcI

And his “Beastly Solo ll” https://youtu.be/WwbVFYWNyqc

In fact all the ‘pecks are clever instrumentalists- and they support each and their frequent guest collaborators with reverence and expertise.

 

He is from the “First Family” of American jazz.

Chris Brubeck, son of Dave, is a Grammy nominated composer, multi-instrumentalist (electric bass, trombone, piano), recording artist who has worked stages and studios with a remarkable array of artists spanning The Brubeck Brothers, Chris Brubeck’s Triple Play, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Gerry Mulligan, Bela Fleck, Bobby McFerrin, Stephane Grappelli, Patti LaBelle, Larry Coryell, and Bobby Womack to cite a very select few!

Plying his craft on a fretless Rickenbacker – Brubeck is a multi-genre master who was quoted in Bass Player opining that “composing is selective improvisation!”

Dig “Change Up” with the Brubeck Brothers https://youtu.be/uj0w_iJMAfI

Dig Chris’ Triple Play ensemble https://youtu.be/HkJ71G4Zcug

From Chris Brubeck Com:

Grammy-nominated composer Chris Brubeck continues to distinguish himself as an innovative performer and composer who is clearly tuned into the pulse of contemporary music. Respected music critic for The Chicago Tribune, John von Rhein called Chris: “a composer with a real flair for lyrical melody–a 21st Century Lenny Bernstein.”

In addition to creating an impressive body of work, including several band pieces, chamber pieces, 3 concertos for trombone, a trombone quartet, and several concertos for stringed instruments and other ensembles, Chris maintains a demanding touring and recording schedule playing bass and trombone with his two groups: the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, with brother Dan on drums, Chuck Lamb on piano and Mike DeMicco on guitar (www.brubeckbrothers.com); and Triple Play, an acoustic jazz-funk-blues-Americana trio with Joel Brown on guitar and Peter Madcat Ruth on harmonica and Chris on bass, trombone and piano (www.chrisbrubeckstripleplay.com.)

Additionally, Chris performs as a soloist playing his trombone concertos with orchestras and has served as Artist in Residence with orchestras and colleges in America, coaching, lecturing, and performing with students and faculty. Once a year he tours England with the group Brubecks Play Brubeck along with brothers Darius (on piano) and Dan as well as British saxophonist Dave O’Higgins. Chris had been a long-standing member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, writing arrangements and touring and recording with his father’s group for over 20 years.

Dave and Chris co-wrote the orchestral piece “Ansel Adams: America” which has received dozens of performances and in 2013 was a Grammy finalist for Best Instrumental Composition.

Photo by Big Solid Silver 60

 

 

When you’re a bass player who plays in a great band that writes great songs with a great singer, you play to the song!  Which is exactly what Mike Hogan did during his tenure with The Cranberries, working the pocket and flexing his harmonic chops when necessary.

 

Dig Mike’s pulse beneath their final single “All Over Now.” https://bit.ly/2HbbAHh

 

 

Sometimes the songs are so doggone good that the doghouse plays itself.  Skip Ward works the pocket on upright in the service of urban / urbane Americana songstress Emily Duff who waxes oh-so-poetic over our collective human condition throughout Maybe in the Morning .

Cut at FAME Studios, you can feel the history of this iconic locale in the grooves and melodies as rendered by Duff, Ward, drummer Kenny Soule, guitarist Scott Aldrich and session legend Clayton Ivey.

Dig Ward’s rhythm & blues and jazz flavored motifs which afford the Duff ensemble a definitive swingin’ disposition.

And they’re even better on stage….

Dig Emily and Skip on the title track https://youtu.be/Zkquk5FhONQ

Dig the live version of “Picture Me Gone” https://youtu.be/jxVFT569tCM

Dig Skip’s groove on “Hypmotizing Chickenz” https://youtu.be/PWGRr9tUSSI

By Jeff Ganz 

 

In the category of “Bassists That Deserve More Recognition”, the first one that comes to mind is Bobby Lichtig.

 

Bobby is probably best known for his fine bass playing on Seals & Crofts’ biggest hits, but was also an accomplished woodwind player and songwriter. Bobby was also my first cousin, whom I admired my whole life, hoping to model my career after his.

 

Bobby’s bass sound, both live and on record, was the epitome of what a superb musician could do with a Fender Precision Bass. Later in his career, Bobby had one of the first and one of the best B.C. Rich basses I ever saw or heard, certainly in his hands. Bobby first came to the public eye as a member of The Last Ritual, recording an album for Capitol Records in 1969. He joined Seals & Crofts as their sole accompanist on bass and flute in time for their second album Year Of Sunday, released in 1971.

 

Bobby’s bass playing on “Summer Breeze” and “Diamond Girl” are textbook examples of how to be a distinctive and sensitive accompanist. In 1975, Bobby joined the L.A. based super group Bonaroo; they did one album for Warner Brothers Records. There are three particular moments I remember fondly with Bobby. The first one was in 1972 when he stopped by my parents’ house – on his way to play with Seals & Crofts at Carnegie Hall! The second was in 1991 at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa, California when he came to see me playing with Johnny Winter.

 

The third moment was in 2011, when I visited Bobby at his home in Woodland Hills, California after not seeing him for many years. It was a terrific reunion, complete with ice cream. Bobby passed away in 2012 of long-time complications from a traumatic head injury.

 

Bobby Lichtig Remembered by KYBP Readers:

 

Blake Lichtig: As his son, this made me so happy to read and thank you for writing this!!

 

Preston Bealle: I love Seals and Crofts to this day, and always noticed the tasty bass playing without being aware of who it was. I especially like the work on “Fiddle in the Sky”. Glad to find out he’s remembered here.

 

Karla: I knew Bobby waaaay back in the 60’s when he worked at the Coney Island Pub in NYC. He introduced me to Jimi Hendix first album. He was such a nice person.

 

Keith McGee: What a great discovery! I loved the bass on Seals & Crofts albums, and many years ago I discovered the name of this fine musician. So sorry for your loss, to hear of his passing. He left a great musical legacy.

 

Kenny Martel: It was late in 1963. We (“The Madisons”) had already been together for more than two years playing after school dances, Synagogue & Church dances and some local teenage night clubs. Our compliment was two guitars, drums and saxophone (no bass). Suddenly, “The Beatles” were EVERYWHERE and THEY had a bass player! So did our local competition: “The 3 Jacks!” It was obvious…one of us HAD to learn bass! Also “obvious”…neither “The Beatles,” or “The 3 Jacks” had an (obsolete) saxophone! Consequently, the necessary “assignment” fell upon our sax player……Bobby Lichtig!

 

Clark Garmen: In the mid-eighties and again in 2011, Bobby was our bass player in ‘In Transit’ with Arista and RCA Records. What a great band and bassist!

 

Rhonnie Bender: As Bobby’s sister, your article made me smile……

 

Bobby Lichtig Sound & Vision…

 

Seals & Crofts:

 

Midnight Special with Seals & Crofts “Summer Breeze” https://youtu.be/DTv0K2SUlCY

 

Live TV performance of “Diamond Girl” https://youtu.be/Vgl2sk391ds

 

Tonight Show with Johnny Carson “Hummingbird” https://youtu.be/XK_hffjACV0

 

“We May Never Pass This Way Again” https://youtu.be/8Dw8R6kIKyw

 

“Sudan Village” https://youtu.be/-0VDA6-xvG8

 

“Fiddle in the Sky” https://youtu.be/2STEkoTFm7k

 

“Year of Sunday” https://youtu.be/qYITQmUJ8eY 

 

Bonaroo:

 

“Melody Maker” https://youtu.be/rjllZ6Y-ivM

 

“Sally Ann” https://youtu.be/bV1atlfEltU

 

In Transit:

 

In Transit (1980) https://youtu.be/2oUhFLqnSHM