David Hood (Muscle Shoals)

 

“I’ll Take You There” …. “Kodachrome” …”Tell Mama” …”Rock Me On the Water”…

 

He anchored “The Swampers” aka the iconic Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Jimmie Johnson, Roger Hawkins and Barry Beckett on hundreds of recordings which shaped popular music in the 20th Century, and whose influence continues to resonate in the grooves of hip-hop, electronica, and contemporary rhythm and blues artists.

 

 David Hood’s  studio credits span seminal sides aplenty, including Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Cher, Laura Nyro, Paul Simon, Shelby Lynne, Linda Ronstadt, The Waterboys, Jose Feliciano, Rod Stewart, Herbie Mann, Bob Seger, Traffic, Leon Russell, Boz Scaggs, Glen Frey, and Candi Staton – to skim the surface. 

 

Hood’s primary weapon of choice during his tenure with Muscle Shoals was a Fender Precision. A master of rhythm, space, and melody, his passage midway through the Staple Singers’ classic “I’ll Take You There” is considered the definitive R&B motif!  

 

David career also includes production, composition, and arranging.

 

Be sure to check out David in the Muscle Shoals documentary from Magnolia Pictures https://youtu.be/jU09t0smAWI

 

David Hood Sound & Vision…

 

“I’ll Take You There” https://youtu.be/uY3vgBzgYn4

 

Rhymin’ Simon “Kodachrome” https://youtu.be/8rlDTK6QI-w

 

Etta James “Tell Mama” https://youtu.be/t_wbyv1TgIQ

 

Traffic live in 1972 https://youtu.be/ocjSc7v83pk

 

Linda Ronstadt “Rock Me on the Water” https://youtu.be/0_KvuFJZebs

 

Laura Nyro “Blackpatch” https://youtu.be/2f0MKzrfOgc

 

Cher “I Walk on Gilded Splinters” https://youtu.be/Wmvts0p1uL0

 

Boz Scaggs and Duane Allman “Loan Me a Dime” https://youtu.be/oTFvAvsHC_Y

 

 

“The Swampers”

Louis Johnson (Brothers Johnson)

Courtesy of Brothers Johnson Com

A giant of the instrument, a master slap and melodic player…and among the most influential bassists ever…where to begin with the late, truly great Louis Johnson?

 

He was the bassist that brought the funk to Thriller (1983), and he was pretty impressive on Michael’s Off The Wall (1979) and Dangerous (1991) as well.

 

Louis Johnson on the title track to Off The Wall https://youtu.be/B3MFbhwfEXU

 

As co-bandleader of the multi-platinum Brothers Johnson, “Thunder Thumbs” Louis Johnson probably did more to further the acceptance of slap style bass than any other player of his generation.

 

Though he possessed tremendous dexterity and rendered flashy solos – Johnson’s genius was evidenced in his intuitive rhythmic prowess – which made him an asset in the studio for scores of session and sideman dates.

 

Dig Louis signature slap style the Brothers Johnson’s iconic interpretation of Shuggie Otis’ “Strawberry Letter 23” https://youtu.be/rquygdjf0d8

 

Louis’ bass artistry contributed significantly to several iconic albums and hit singles by Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Earl Klugh, Grover Washington Jr., Michael McDonald, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, Bjork, Quincy Jones, George Duke, and Kenny Loggins …. among many, many others.

 

Louis Johnson’s extraordinary 1985 instructional film, now distributed by Hal Leonard, is the absolute definitive tutorial on slap bass.

 

Check out the intro to Louis Johnson’s Star Licks instructional video https://youtu.be/xlzGsTMqZ8g