Great bassists in Contemporary Christian music?

[gitlvr]

Hey guys. I'm a beginning bassist(couple of years) who plays bass in church. Can't really say who my influences are, I've just sort of felt my way along. I'm learning by playing to a lot of Contemporary Christian music, as well as Gospel Bluegrass and hymns. This is the music I'm into. But there's a problem.
When I was younger, and just starting out on guitar, I can tell you my influences. I knew the names of the individual players, and could tell you who I really liked, and whose influences made me want to play.
Nowadays, being that i play live only in the church, the focus is much more on the individual songs and their message and less on the bands or musicians. So though i play a great variety of CCM, I really don't know the names of the individual musicians. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit it, but I play quite a few songs I learned off of the radio, and have not a clue who the band or artist is, much less who the bass player is.
Those of you who are into this type of music, can you give me a list of your favorite CCM bassists and the bands they belong to? Also , feel free to list bands or songs that you feel are essential to this type of playing.
A note, however. I would prefer only CCM artists, no secular music. I'm really not into playing secular music anymore(nothing wrong with it, but the message doesn't float my boat anymore), So suggestions for the rock greats like Butler, Geddy, Entwistle, etc., etc., are not what i'm looking for. I really want to learn by jamming to the music I love, which for me happens to be CCM.
Thanks for any replies.

[Commreman]

Adam Nitti.
Terrance Palmer.
Andrew Gouche.
Fred Hammond.

Those 4 will keep your ears busy! They play with a variety of gospel and worship acts, although Fred Hammond is a solo act himself (Terrance Palmer plays in his live band).

[HisMusician]

Norm Stockton, he plays with Lincoln Brewster and also has two cds out and various bass teaching dvds.

[ccbass71]

Abraham Laboriel

[Yawsbass]

Originally Posted by HisMusician

Norm Stockton, he plays with Lincoln Brewster and also has two cds out and various bass teaching dvds.

Precisely who I came in here to say.

[chris lykins]

Norm is a monster. Grooves, chops for days, knows when to lay back, and seems like a great guy.

[TL5]

Originally Posted by gitlvr

..Contemporary Christian music, as well as Gospel Bluegrass and hymns. This is the music I'm into.

Based on what you said (quoted), I'm gonna' go back a few years and suggest you pick two albums by Russ Taff. The self-titled album Russ Taff and The Way Home. If you can find Under Their Influence, by all means get it.
The first two are available through iTunes. For some inexplicable reason the grammy winning Under Their Influence is not.

Bassist on Russ Taff was Nathan East, it was the late great Jackie Streets on The Way Home, and James Holihan played all the instruments except drums on Influence.

...

As previously mentioned Abe Laboriel is over the top incredible. He's on Ron Kenoly's worship albums, he played in Koinonia, and has played sessions for lots of artists.

[gitlvr]

Originally Posted by TL5

Based on what you said (quoted), I'm gonna' go back a few years and suggest you pick two albums by Russ Taff. The self-titled album Russ Taff and The Way Home. If you can find Under Their Influence, by all means get it.
The first two are available through iTunes. For some inexplicable reason the grammy winning Under Their Influence is not.

Bassist on Russ Taff was Nathan East, it was the late great Jackie Streets on The Way Home, and James Holihan played all the instruments except drums on Influence.

...

As previously mentioned Abe Laboriel is over the top incredible. He's on Ron Kenoly's worship albums, he played in Koinonia, and has played sessions for lots of artists.

I have Russ Taff on vinyl. I'll dig him out. Thanks.
Will also check out the others. Thanks to all of you for suggestions.

[Sav'nBass]

Justin Raines and Thad Tribbett are also pretty tough........ and Andrew Gouche is pretty nice..

[lowfreqgeek]

If you're into the "classic" CCM ('90s), seek out anything with Jackie Street, Tommy Sims, Jimmy Lee Sloas, and Gary Lunn. Those guys probably covered 90% of the sessions out of Nashville from the late 80s into the 2000s. BP Magazine did an article on all of them in about '95. Also, you can find a few CCM albums with John Patitucci on them.

A few other great players (and my influences) were Anthony Sallee (Whiteheart - post Gary Lunn and Tommy Sims), and Ronnie Cates (Petra). Good pocket players, at least... Otto Price did some really cool stuff with DC Talk, as well - Jesus Freak had some groovy stuff. Even the great Lee Sklar could be found on some Steven Curtis Chapman albums.

I pretty much quit listening to CCM in the late 90s and haven't kept up with it. I am pretty exclusively into jazz now, but all those guys were my bass heros growing up.

[TrevorOfDoom]

look to a band called Thrice. not CCM, but serious christian guys in the secular market (IMO, the ONLY way to get a christian message out to the world). Bassist is Ed Breckenridge, and he's a monster, especially on their earlier stuff.
alternately, Mae's first two albums, Destination: Beautiful and The Everglow have killer lines from Mark Padgett, a session guy from Virginia.

(yes, i know you're wanting CCM, but i don't like CCM and think that to rule out all music except CCM is a silly and narrow-minded thing that will only hurt one's creativity. but much like you i do prefer to get my kicks from christian artists with christian messages. hence, non-CCM christian artists. I wish you the best of luck with the CCM only bent.)

[bottomzone]

These guys are pretty good, too!

Maurice Fitzgerald
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWEjrFxfaBE

Darrell Freeman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fY94ri2WOE

Sharay Reed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjDmye9bYjs

Reggie Young
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdG8E...eature=related

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

[LAG]

It seems to me like alot of Christian music I hear on the radio these days has mostly 1/4's or 1/8's played on a p bass. There isn't much funk going on unless the black gospel station is tuned in.

Sorry for the rant.

[thesilence]

Norm Stockton is really good and also the guy for Hillsong United (forgot his name)

[gitlvr]

Originally Posted by TrevorOfDoom

look to a band called Thrice. not CCM, but serious christian guys in the secular market (IMO, the ONLY way to get a christian message out to the world). Bassist is Ed Breckenridge, and he's a monster, especially on their earlier stuff.
alternately, Mae's first two albums, Destination: Beautiful and The Everglow have killer lines from Mark Padgett, a session guy from Virginia.

(yes, i know you're wanting CCM, but i don't like CCM and think that to rule out all music except CCM is a silly and narrow-minded thing that will only hurt one's creativity. but much like you i do prefer to get my kicks from christian artists with christian messages. hence, non-CCM christian artists. I wish you the best of luck with the CCM only bent.)

I appreciate your comments. However, CCm wasn't the only genre mentioned. Bluegrass Gospel, Southern Gospel, and Hymns were also. I'd also add any other type of Gospel as well. To me the message is foremost to my inspiration to play it. I would reject the notion that there aren't enough great players in the various gospel genres to allow me to develop fully as a bassist. I don't believe a musician has to be active is the secular side of music to be talented enough to learn from. Many bassists and other musicians from those genres started out or have their roots in other forms of music. I don't have to revisit those other forms to learn the techniques they're already using in the various gospel genres.
I also reject the idea that christians being involved in secular music is the only way to get a christian message out to the world. I believe that the ability to fire up and encourage the christian community to be witnesses of Christ can also be very effective at this as well.. Both have their place, IMHO. But it really seems to me that the "christian" folk in secular music can have a tendancy to water the message down, or couch their lyrics in vague tems in order to prosper in that genre. I could be mistaken about that, but i have set in with at least one group of "christian" artists who wanted to do that. They thought it was a good idea and would be effective. I disagreed.
The above post was in no way meant as an insult nor meant to be combative, I was just kind of trying to let you know where I was coming from in regards to those issues. Again, thanks for the comments, and your interest in the topic. Also, just in an effort to head anything off, please, let's not any of us use TrevorofDoom or my own comments to pile on in any negative way. I'd like to keep this thread about the bassists.

Lowfreqgeek, I have pretty much everything Petra ever did (from 1979- the late 80's) on vinyl, as well as Whiteheart's first and second album. I'll check my Stephen Curtis Chapman for Sklar as well.

[bass_snake]

I was going to say Norm Stockton too. I met him almost two years ago. Great guy and player.

Fred

[bassman1987]

Norm Stockton was also the first name that came into my head.

Check out Adam Nitti too, he's done quite a few solo albums but I believe he can also be found on a few Steven Curtis Chapman albums. Unbelievable chops that guy has.

[iamlowsound]

I have no idea who played on the album, but Matt Redman's first album has some of the finest basslines I have heard. The last song on the cd is played on a fretless and it just sings.

lowsound

[K-Frog]

Derrick Horne
Todd Lawton
Mark Clay

[Dr. Cheese]

I love Tommy Sims work with Israel Houghton. The bass is not as upfront as in pure Urban Gospel, but it is still funky and tight!