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Lyle Ritz, 87, "Wrecking Crew" session bassist (BBoys, Monkees, Righteous, Ronstadt, Alpert)
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That Derek
Mar 9, 2017, 4:52:17 PM3/9/17
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http://bestclassicbands.com/lyle-ritz-obituary-3-5-17/
NEWS PLUS: The Wire - Breaking News
Lyle Ritz, Wrecking Crew Bassist, Dies at 87
by Best Classic Bands Staff
He started out as a virtuoso ukulelist—yes, that is an actual word, meaning one who plays the ukulele—but it was in his capacity as bassist for The Wrecking Crew that Lyle Ritz contributed to best-selling recordings by the likes of the Beach Boys, the Monkees, the Righteous Brothers and Linda Ronstadt, among others. Ritz died Friday (March 3) at the age of 87. Details are not presently available on the place or cause of Ritz’s death.
He was born Jan. 10, 1930, in Cleveland, Ohio, and began his career in the music business in the 1950s, working as a demonstrator of instruments for the Southern California Music Company, a music store in Los Angeles. One instrument he was often called upon to demonstrate for potential customers was the ukulele, which was experiencing popularity at the time due to its use by radio personality Arthur Godfrey. Ritz discovered that he enjoyed the uke and took it upon himself to learn how to play it properly, not just as a novelty instrument, its usual fate then and now.
Related: BCB’s review of the documentary about the Wrecking Crew
He ultimately became a master of the four-stringed uke and after his stint in the Army (he played in the U.S. Army Band), Ritz was discovered by jazz guitarist Barney Kessel, who arranged for Ritz to be signed to Verve Records. His two albums for the label, How About Uke? and 50th State Jazz, became popular in Hawaii but nowhere else, so in order to support himself Ritz switched over to the bass, finding work in L.A.’s studios at the height of the burgeoning rock scene there.
By the mid-’60s, as a member of the collective of studio musicians loosely named the Wrecking Crew, Ritz found himself constantly busy, contributing to hits by the Beach Boys (“Good Vibrations”), the Righteous Brothers (“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”), Ronstadt, the Monkees, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass (“A Taste of Honey”), Sonny and Cher, Dean Martin and others. In all, Ritz estimated that he played on more than 5,000 recording sessions during his long career. He also contributed to the soundtracks of numerous television programs.
He never gave up the ukulele though, and as the Wrecking Crew’s reign in L.A. died down and the musicians went in search of other work, Ritz returned to his first love. In the 1979 Steve Martin film The Jerk, that’s actually Ritz you’re hearing when you see Martin playing the uke, and by the late ’90s, Ritz had returned to making ukulele records, usually in a jazz vein. In fact, he’s often been called “The Father of Jazz Ukulele.” He was inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame in 2007.
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NEWS PLUS: The Wire - Breaking News
Lyle Ritz, Wrecking Crew Bassist, Dies at 87
by Best Classic Bands Staff
He started out as a virtuoso ukulelist—yes, that is an actual word, meaning one who plays the ukulele—but it was in his capacity as bassist for The Wrecking Crew that Lyle Ritz contributed to best-selling recordings by the likes of the Beach Boys, the Monkees, the Righteous Brothers and Linda Ronstadt, among others. Ritz died Friday (March 3) at the age of 87. Details are not presently available on the place or cause of Ritz’s death.
He was born Jan. 10, 1930, in Cleveland, Ohio, and began his career in the music business in the 1950s, working as a demonstrator of instruments for the Southern California Music Company, a music store in Los Angeles. One instrument he was often called upon to demonstrate for potential customers was the ukulele, which was experiencing popularity at the time due to its use by radio personality Arthur Godfrey. Ritz discovered that he enjoyed the uke and took it upon himself to learn how to play it properly, not just as a novelty instrument, its usual fate then and now.
Related: BCB’s review of the documentary about the Wrecking Crew
He ultimately became a master of the four-stringed uke and after his stint in the Army (he played in the U.S. Army Band), Ritz was discovered by jazz guitarist Barney Kessel, who arranged for Ritz to be signed to Verve Records. His two albums for the label, How About Uke? and 50th State Jazz, became popular in Hawaii but nowhere else, so in order to support himself Ritz switched over to the bass, finding work in L.A.’s studios at the height of the burgeoning rock scene there.
By the mid-’60s, as a member of the collective of studio musicians loosely named the Wrecking Crew, Ritz found himself constantly busy, contributing to hits by the Beach Boys (“Good Vibrations”), the Righteous Brothers (“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”), Ronstadt, the Monkees, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass (“A Taste of Honey”), Sonny and Cher, Dean Martin and others. In all, Ritz estimated that he played on more than 5,000 recording sessions during his long career. He also contributed to the soundtracks of numerous television programs.
He never gave up the ukulele though, and as the Wrecking Crew’s reign in L.A. died down and the musicians went in search of other work, Ritz returned to his first love. In the 1979 Steve Martin film The Jerk, that’s actually Ritz you’re hearing when you see Martin playing the uke, and by the late ’90s, Ritz had returned to making ukulele records, usually in a jazz vein. In fact, he’s often been called “The Father of Jazz Ukulele.” He was inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame in 2007.
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ericbr...@gmail.com
Mar 9, 2017, 8:52:55 PM3/9/17
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I thought Carol Kaye was The Wrecking Crew member who played bass on Good Vibrations
Diner
Mar 10, 2017, 1:33:05 PM3/10/17
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On Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 8:52:55 PM UTC-5, ericbr...@gmail.com wrote:
> I thought Carol Kaye was The Wrecking Crew member who played bass on Good Vibrations
I had thought it was Carol Kaye too.
> I thought Carol Kaye was The Wrecking Crew member who played bass on Good Vibrations
Wikipedia, quoting the liner notes of the 1999 reissue of the "Pet Sounds" album, lists Lyle Ritz as playing string bass and/or ukulele on 12 of the album's 13 tracks (the exception is "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times").
As for "Good Vibrations," Wikipedia claims that Ray Pohlmann played electric bass on the track, adding: "Bassist Carol Kaye played on several of the "Good Vibrations" sessions, and has been identified as a prominent contributor to the track. However, analysis by Beach Boys archivist Craig Slowinski indicates that none of those recordings made the final edit as released on the single."
Of course, Wikipedia has its own contradictions. The "Good Vibrations" page does not credit anyone as playing string bass on the track. However, the narrative mentions a section of the song (starting at 0:25) where string bass and cello can be heard backing the Electro-Theremin. And Ritz's own Wiki page lists him as playing on "Good Vibrations."
So did Lyle Ritz really play "Good Vibrations"? God only knows...
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