The best bluegrass bass player?
r.hadley
>Two other Contenders would be Todd Phillips and Mark Schatz. <snip>
Got that right! I had the pleasure of sitting in on Mark's bass workshop at
Merlefest a couple of years ago, & I'd go so far as to rate Mark one of the
best bass players I've ever heard regardless of music type. That boy cooks!!
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Richard W. Hadley, WA0FYG "For those who stand guard,
r.ha...@www.mebbs.com freedom has a sweetness the
The Solutions Store, Ltd. protected will never know."
--Adm. Wild Bill Plaskett--
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Jon Weisberger
haven't yet been mentioned: on upright, Marshall Wilborn and Gene
Libbea (not that I care for the NBB that much, but Gene is fabulous;
check out his work on the recently-mentioned "Lone Soldier"), on
electric Tim Austin and Mike Anglin (Continental Divide).
But, of course, the best bluegrass bass player of all time would have
to be Howard "Cedric Rainwater" Watts. No contest.
--
Jon Weisberger, Cincinnati jo...@ix.netcom.com
============================================================
"Any song I think that's worth singing is worth having
harmony." -- Charlie Louvin
============================================================
Milt Pappas
>>(1) Who do you consider to be THE bluegrass bass player?
>>
>Two other Contenders would be Todd Phillips and Mark Schatz. Todd has
>a bass album out, but, unless you're a Bluegrass Eclectic like me,
>you probly wouldn't call it bluegrass.
>
>A couple of my favorites are Barry Bales (of Alison K. & Her Riders
>Of The Purple Sage), and Rob Wassermann, who shows up on at least
>one of Tony Rice's albums, or maybe it was one of Grisman's. Or
>somebody else's.
>
>
Don't forget Tom Gray, my hero! And though it's not exactly bluegrass (just
what IS bluegrass, anyway? ) Two Slim does some great work on the Riders Of
The Sky albums. Check out his break on 'Bobcat Bounce'.
*********************************
* Milt Pappas - Rural Hall, NC *
* Member IBMA *
*********************************
mwyatt@cas.org Mark Wyatt
radio station (WCBE) today, and I fielded a caller with a two-pronged question:
(1) Who do you consider to be THE bluegrass bass player? (2) Are there
bluegrass albums featuring the bass?
Now question #1 can be hotly debated, but off the top of my head I told the
caller that Roy Huskey, Jr. would have to be considered *one* of the best BG
bass players. Question #2 stumped me, though--since bass is such a mainstay of
the rhythm in BG, it's hard for me to imagine ANY album featuring it on leads,
unlike all the other bluegrass instruments. I'm willing to bet someone out
there in BGRASS-L land can prove me wrong, though.
I may be sorry I brought up question #1--although I was tempted to tell the
caller that UBP was my all-time favorite tub thumper. Ah well, arguing about
bass players is probably still better than trying to decide whether AK is Satan
or just one of the auxiliary deviloids...
_______________________________________________________________________________
Mark Wyatt * mwy...@cas.org * One Riot One Ranger * Columbus, OH
http://www.infinet.com/~clydss/1r1r.html
** "now don't you be running down the accordion..." (Bill Monroe) **
Sean Barry
> (1) Who do you consider to be THE bluegrass bass player? (2) Are there
> bluegrass albums featuring the bass?
>
> the rhythm in BG, it's hard for me to imagine ANY album featuring it on leads,
> unlike all the other bluegrass instruments.
Tom Gray on the Seldom Scene "Live at the Cellar Door" album, played
several (spectacular) bass leads, especially on "Grandfather's Clock."
(That album remains my head and shoulders favorite of the SS material).
Tom definitely ranks in the top five, maybe in the top one.
And going much further back, Jake Tullock played some excellent lead bass
on "Little Darlin' Pal of Mine" on the Flatt and Scruggs "Foggy Mountain
Banjo" album.
The bass was also featured as a semi-lead instrument on the Dillards
"Back Porch Bluegrass," by Mitchell F. Jayne (although the rumor was
around that Dean Webb did all the studio bass work--Mitch played the same
lines on stage though).
In southern California from the 60's at least into the 80's there was a
phenomenal bass player named Mel, whose last name finally escapes me, who
worked with various groups around, and was frequently featured on lead
work. I'm sure others know who I'm talking about. I last saw him on PBS
with John McKuen in the early 1980's
Not trying to prove you wrong--just pointing out that good bass players
are by far the scarcest of all bluegrass commodities (I figure there are
about as many really good, thoughtful, dedicated bluegrass bass players as
there are Loar-signed F-5's in the US--less than 200). When you find one,
be sure to nurture/pamper/cherish/otherwise insure that he/she will stay,
and feature him/her as well. Try replacing one if you don't believe me.
Sean Barry
Drew Garrett
Scene. It's too bad that "Grandfather's Clock" isn't available on CD. (Hi
Dave! I never miss a chance)
Some of the finest slap work was done by Roger Bush. God I wish those first
two Gazette albums were available on CD!
Barry Bales is also one of my favorites. He's also one of the nicest guys
you'll ever meet.
That T. Michael Coleman guy has contributed a lot, also. His work with Doc
Watson (for what, 40 or 50 years? <g>) and then Seldom Scene and now
Chesapeake is/was fantastic.
Ed Ferris did some great walking stuff with the Gentlemen.
Did I ramble enough? Oh well, what do you expect from a bass player?
Drew Garrett
Arvada, Colorado
bangs tapscott
bluegrass bassists. First of all, the original didn't ask "Who is the
best bluegrass bass player?" It asked, "Who is THE bluegrass bass player?"
As points of reference, I do not care to speculate who is the best bg
guitar player, but I'm pretty sure that THE bluegrass guitarist is, for
the fading moment, Tony Rice. Similarly, THE bluegrass fiddler is Mark
O'Connor (I think Berline is better), THE bluegrass dobroist is Jerry
Douglas (some think Rob Ickes is a contender for "best"), and so on.
In my earlier posting, I tried to differentiate between contenders for
"THE bluegrass bass player", and my own likes. Would that others would
do the same.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Bangs Tapscott (ba...@cc.utah.edu) salt lake city UTAH
+ Home of the Bluegrass Conspiracy and KRCL Radio Free Utah
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bill Hensley
>Don't forget Tom Gray, my hero! And though it's not exactly bluegrass (just
>what IS bluegrass, anyway? ) Two Slim does some great work on the Riders Of
>The Sky albums. Check out his break on 'Bobcat Bounce'.
>
>
I to like Tom Gray, also think Missy Raines is very good.
Andrew Bell
Missy puts on a show all by herself! Even if the playing weren't great
(which it is), she would be entertaining.
-- Andrew Bell /\ *
MCI Communications / Colorado Springs / \ * /\ *
voice: (719) 535-5218 /\/ \ / \* *
ab...@ren.cs.mci.com / \/ \ * * **
The views expressed are solely mine and may not be the views of my employer.
Ken Irwin
and Marshall Wilborn, and it is a tough duo to beat. Great rhythm and taste.
Ken
chris cawthray
>In a message dated 95-12-13 19:27:13 EST, mi...@OLS.NET (Milt Pappas) writes:
>
>>Don't forget Tom Gray, my hero! And though it's not exactly bluegrass (just
>>what IS bluegrass, anyway? ) Two Slim does some great work on the Riders Of
>>The Sky albums. Check out his break on 'Bobcat Bounce'.
>>
>>
>
>I to like Tom Gray, also think Missy Raines is very good.
>
>
Am I going to get flamed royally for suggesting John COwan? I mean, talking
about "the best" is such a futile thread anyway, so it usually turns into a
foru for everyone's faves... so by that logic, you gotta have Cowan in there...
:):)
chris cawthray
drums, percussion, and much much more
dr...@inforamp.net
"hurry! hurry! brato ganibe!"
bangs tapscott
>[...] good bass players
>are by far the scarcest of all bluegrass commodities [...]. When you find one,
>be sure to nurture/pamper/cherish/otherwise insure that he/she will stay,
>and feature him/her as well. Try replacing one if you don't believe me.
Yo, Baby! Keep on tellin it like it is!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Bangs Tapscott, UBP (ba...@cc.utah.edu) salt lake city UTAH
JANICE
there was, is, Tom Gray...
janice mclaughlin
jmcl...@miamiu.muohio.edu
Geff King
in the
world goes by the name 'unidentified?' Just look at the old pictures...
As to favorites: Did no one mention Floyd 'Lightning' Chance? For a good
example of **THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE**, I wish call your attention to
Peter Rowan's 'Walls of Time' album, on which Chance plays bass. I love the
playing on that album so much, I wish I had a statue of Lightning Chance for
my dashboard.
--
Geff King * gk...@ari.net * Greenbelt MD
Librarian by Day * Bass Player by Night
Literature Searches * Doghouses Slapped WHILE-U-WAIT
Archie Warnock
> I only read about half this thread. Don't you know that the best pass player
> in the
> world goes by the name 'unidentified?' Just look at the old pictures...
Oh, yes - of course! How could we have overlooked him?
> As to favorites: Did no one mention Floyd 'Lightning' Chance? For a good
> example of **THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE**, I wish call your attention to
> Peter Rowan's 'Walls of Time' album, on which Chance plays bass. I love the
> playing on that album so much, I wish I had a statue of Lightning Chance for
> my dashboard.
Amen to that. His work with the Stanley Brothers back in the 50s was
amazing. Still... in thinking about who it would be _today_, consider
the following. Back a number of years ago, when the Johnson Mountain
Boys were the hottest thing going, they probably could have had any bass
player they wanted. But they way I heard it, they had really one choice
who was head and shoulders above all the rest - Earl Yager.
He ain't flashy, but Earl does what a bass player is supposed to do, and
does it better than anyone else. He keeps the time, drives the rhythm
and is always _exactly_ where he's supposed to be. They just don't get
any better than Earl. Ask the JMBs. Ask Jimmy Martin. Ask Bob
Paisley. Ask the ol' Whetstone Run boys. Ask Earl why the hell he's
not playing any more!
Not to take anything away from any of the others mentioned - I love
hearing Marshall Wilborn and Jr. Husky. Tom Gray blows my mind. Sure
wish I could slap like Jerry McCoury or Ed Ferris. But when I grow up,
I wanna play like Earl the Pearl.
Archie
-- Archie Warnock Internet: war...@clark.net
-- A/WWW Enterprises Phone/FAX: 301-854-2987
-- http://www.clark.net/pub/warnock/archie_warnock.html
-- As a matter of fact, I _do_ speak for my employer.