Now, let me tell you, when it comes to bass players, it ain’t just about pluckin’ them strings, oh no. A good bass player is the one who gets deep into the soul of a song, holdin’ down that rhythm and makin’ sure everything stays together. The bass is like the backbone of a band, holdin’ it all up and keepin’ everything from fallin’ apart. Ain’t that right? That’s why we gotta talk about the 50 best bass players that Rolling Stone Magazine got all excited about. They’ve been doin’ this for years, and I reckon they know a thing or two about music.
Now, we all know about the big names. They ain’t hard to miss. You got folks like John Entwistle from The Who, who’s got fingers faster than a chicken on a hot stove. That man, he knew how to make that bass sing, and when he played, the whole band just clicked. Can’t forget James Jamerson neither. He played on all them Motown hits. If you ever heard a song like “What’s Going On” or “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” well, that was him. The man was a genius when it came to makin’ that bass groove so smooth, you could slide right into it.
But it ain’t just about the old timers, no sir. There’s a whole new crop of bass players out there who’ve made their mark too. You can’t talk about the greatest without mentionin’ people like Larry Graham. Oh, Larry, he played bass like it was his best friend. He’s the one who brought that funky slap bass sound, and you know, it’s been copied a hundred times since. If you’ve ever heard a song by Sly and the Family Stone, you’ve heard Larry doin’ his thing.
And then, there’s a fella named Bootsy Collins. Now, don’t let them crazy clothes fool you, Bootsy knows his way around a bass guitar better than most folks know their way around the kitchen. He’s played with everyone, from Parliament Funkadelic to even the mighty James Brown himself. That man’s bass lines have got a groove that just won’t quit.
And don’t even get me started on Bernard Edwards. That man could play the bass like he was talkin’ to you. He was the backbone of Chic, and you can’t deny that his bass lines were somethin’ special. You put on a Chic record, and you know it’s him right away, just by the way he carries the rhythm.
- John Entwistle – The Who
- James Jamerson – Motown
- Larry Graham – Sly & the Family Stone
- Bootsy Collins – Funkadelic
- Bernard Edwards – Chic
There’s another one, Darryl Jones, now he’s the one who stepped in after Bill Wyman left The Rolling Stones. A lot of folks forget about Darryl, but I’ll tell ya, he’s a secret weapon for them Stones. He brought a fresh sound, keepin’ up with the rock ‘n’ roll legends, and folks sure took notice of that. Sometimes, it’s the quiet ones you gotta watch out for, y’know?
But let’s not forget some of the other funky bass players that made their name by not followin’ the rules. People like Andy Fraser, Mel Schacher, and even Charles Mingus. Mingus was somethin’ else, playin’ jazz like nobody else could. His bass wasn’t just an instrument; it was a conversation, a dialogue between him and the rest of the band. There ain’t nobody quite like him in the jazz world, and that’s sayin’ somethin’.
And now, when you talk about the bass, well, it’s clear it ain’t just about playin’ the notes right. It’s about feelin’ the music, about lettin’ that low-end rumble through your bones. You can have all the fancy finger-work in the world, but if you ain’t got that soul, you ain’t got nothin’. So, if you ever find yourself tappin’ your feet to a good bass line, you best believe one of these legends might just be behind it.
So, here’s the list of the greatest:
- John Entwistle (The Who) – Known for his lightning-fast style and powerful solos.
- James Jamerson (Motown) – The king of groove, who played on hits by the Supremes and Marvin Gaye.
- Larry Graham (Sly & the Family Stone) – The father of slap bass, creating a sound that changed music forever.
- Bootsy Collins (Funkadelic) – Known for his funky, out-of-this-world bass lines.
- Bernard Edwards (Chic) – One of the architects of disco with his iconic bass grooves.
- Darryl Jones (The Rolling Stones) – A quiet powerhouse who brought new life to the Stones’ sound.
- Andy Fraser (Free) – His bass was raw, real, and full of emotion.
- Mel Schacher (Grand Funk Railroad) – A bass player with a strong, thunderous presence.
- Charles Mingus (Jazz) – A jazz legend, whose bass playing was both intellectual and emotional.
And that’s the list, folks. Ain’t it somethin’? These here bass players, they all brought somethin’ special to the table. They’ve made their mark on music history, and every time you hear a good bass line, you know they’ve had a hand in it somehow. Ain’t no doubt about it, the bass is what holds the music together. So, next time you hear that low rumble, remember, it’s the bass that keeps the rhythm rollin’.
Tags：[Rolling Stone, Top 50 Bassists, Bass Players, James Jamerson, John Entwistle, Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, Funk Bass, Rock Bass, Bass Legends, Music History]
