Funk Brothers to Get Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

[cassanova]

ttp://forbassplayersonly.com/wordpress/?p=137

Jamerson, Babbitt, Funk Brothers to Get Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

At long last, the Funk Brothers are getting their due, as they are about to become immortalized with one of America’s highest forms of recognition: having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Legendary bassists James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt are among the group of brothers responsible for an incalculable effect on music and culture in the latter half of the 20th century.

The Brothers, which also included Joe Hunter, Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffiths, Benny Benjamin, “Pistol” Allen, Uriel Jones, Eddie “Bongo” Brown, Jack Ashford, Jack Brokensha, Robert White, Eddie Willis, Joe Messina, Dennis Coffey, Melvin “Wah-Wah” Ragin and “Funk Sister” Bobbye Hall, were the Motown sound. According to the “Standing In The Shadows of Motown” documentary, the Funk Brothers played on more #1 records than the Beatles, Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys combined.

The star is set to be dedicated sometime in 2010. FBPO will be monitoring progress as details become available.

[Gard]

About damn time.

[Joe Gress]

Originally Posted by Gard

About damn time.

Agreed. Couldn't have out it better.

[bassrique]

Very cool.

EDIT:

You may read someone’s resume and see that they had played on certain songs yet someone else takes claim to playing on one of the songs (or more than one) or you actually read somewhere that it is another musician playing on a particular song (songs). Why does this happen? Well there are several possibilities to talk about. I guess the first one is that the resume is a lie! Secondly, there were a lot of albums released with no credits on the records, and also a lot of sessions did not go thru the union so as a result there were no contracts and the contracts would have the name of the players on them.

Another thing that may happen is that the song is recorded and then it is re-recorded at another time (Sometimes later that same day or the next day). And then still another, the possibility of being overdubbed on. When you are constantly day after day for years playing on records it can be hard to remember everything you played on. It got to be like a factory job in Detroit and when we knew there was no session’s going on we would hide out at the golf course! I have been told thru the years or personally heard other musicians who have talked about records that I know they did not play on. Some people may just believe them. I know a musician who claimed he played on records that I know he did not, yet when someone confronted him and asked him if he really had played on those records he replied. ”I would do or say anything to put food on the table for my kids”.

Here is an example of something that happened. One of the ex-employers at the Detroit musicians union claims that at some point in the early 80’s they shredded the contracts because they were running out of room where they stored them?? Then when the TV and Movie industry started using the songs for background music the film companies needed to see a copy of the contract before they would pay anyone. Well in Detroit they made up what they called mock contracts and assumed certain players had played on these records. As far as the Bass in the case of Motown they just thought Jamerson had played on these records and put his name on the mock contracts. Then they would submit them to the film companies and also put them on file. Now if someone were to read those mock contracts they would think that the players named on the contracts were the ones playing on the record. One record that I played on was “Mercy Mercy” from the Marvin Gaye album “What’s Going On”. It was used as background music for several films and commercials. There were no rhythm section contract‘s for that album so someone at the Detroit union put Jamerson’s name on the mock contract and not only were the residuals paid to him but if someone would read that contract they would think that he also played on that record.

How about this; The song “War” by Edwin Starr, it has been used on 6 on 7 different movies as well as the theme song for a popular TV show. Guess what? There are two contracts the union received, one for the title “War” and one for the title “War Part Two”. Having played on the Edwin Starr record and hearing it on films and TV but not getting any residuals I called the national union to find out why? They told me about the two contracts and that some of the musicians that were on “War Part Two” (The artist turned out to be the Temptations) claimed that was the version that was the Edwin Starr version, and get this, the contracts had no artist listed on them so the union went and paid the musicians on the “War Part Two” contract. Now, the names on both of the contracts were almost the same, but my name was on “War” and Jamerson’s name was on “War Part Two”. The union faxed me both of the contracts and on the contracts were the dates they were recorded. On the “War” contract that my name was on the date was May 1970. The date on “War Part Two” was September 1970. I have a box set of Motown songs that also has a booklet enclosed with the records. In this booklet along with the Artist and the title of song they also give the date of release. “War” by Edwin Starr was released in June 1970 but guess what, the union claims that Motown waited to file their contracts and that this possibly could have happened to this record? So now they don’t want to pay on either contract. Again if they do not determine which contract is the Edwin Starr contract someone could think Jamerson played on that record.

Also, on the Spinners box set release, they give credits on each individual cut, but for the Motown song “It’s a Shame” they say the musicians “probably were” (Jamerson did play Bass) and another cut from Detroit’s Pac 3 studio has no credits, and yeah you guessed it (I am positive it was the Dennis Coffey road band that Andrew Smith and I were in). Now if a session was re-cut or someone came in to overdub and they played the exact thing that was played on the original (maybe better feel or better execution) and the sound was close to you it may be hard to tell the difference, but I think every player can tell their own sound and they have their signature licks that they play.

Also at times the arranger or the producer may not like the overdub and get someone else to overdub or go back to the original. This also happens at times with re-cutting the whole track. Also I worked for some producers that were so much into drugs that the possibility of them forgetting who actually played on the records they produced, exist. And some producers and arrangers were so busy they don’t really remember. Now here are some things that I personally experienced to show you what I am talking about; “Cool Jerk”. I’m in a bar across from Golden World studios where Cool Jerk as recorded. That studio later became Motown Studio B. In this bar with me was Jamerson, we did hang out a lot together, In the bar was a great sounding bubble jukebox! It started playing “Cool Jerk”. Now Jamerson walked over to the jukebox and leaned down in front of it and at the same time waved me over next to him at the juke box. He said to me, “Listen to that Bass,” I said “Yeah, what about it.” He stood up and pounded his hands on his chest and said “Moi”Me, that’s me”. I said “Nooooo, that’s me.” Well you know what he said, “They must have re-cut the record.” So there you go, if by some chance he did tell anyone that he played on that record I’m sure they would have believed him. No credits on those records hurt everyone.

.
Also for the Rare Earth group I did an album cut and also the single “Losing You”
No credits! The group’s Bass player got the credits and similar situations with the first P- Funk album (Westbound Records) and the Flaming Embers (Holland, Dozier, Holland) occurred. Also I did an overdub on a Wilson Pickett record “Don’t Knock my Love” that they gave credits to the original Bass player on a compilation album. When I talked to the original Bass player about it he told me “No way.” That he is the Bass player on that song. There were two producers I have been trying to contact. Maybe they can shed some light on this? I have found out one has passed away and the other no one seems to know where he his? The record “Touch me in the Morning” by Diana Ross was one that I had overdubbed the Bass on at Motown Studio B. Yet on a Diana Ross greatest hit album they gave credits to and Los Angeles Bassist because that is where the original track was cut. If there were a contract filed in L.A. it would probably have the Los Angeles Bass players name on it. One thing I remember about that overdub. That was the first time I ever took my wife to the studio and when that record became a hit I wanted her to come to all of my sessions because I thought she was a good luck charm!

Another record cut in Somerville, New Jersey at Tony Camillo’s Venture Sound Studio (Tony was a producer, arranger who worked in Detroit for Holland, Dozier, Holland where I met him) The record we recorded there was Gladys Knight & the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Now the original session had 3 Guitars, 2 Keyboards, Drums, Percussion and Bass. After we recorded it Tony called everyone back to record it again because the initial recording did not feel right. Well, the same band recorded it a second time and guess what? The following Sunday Tony called Andrew Smith and myself along with Guitarist Jeff Mironov to yet again record the song as the feel was still not right yet. The three of us along with Tony playing a scratch piano part (he later overdubbed the piano, not one of the original players, I think the piano player was Barry Miles) cut the track and guess what? Yep, that was the track that became the record! That song won the Grammy for song of the year! Now if you play on a record that wins a Grammy you get paid again! Well I worked with a couple of the players that played on the original session and they got paid also. There was a contract filed on the original session with all of the original names. Now it would be hard to tell those guys that they did not play on the record after they got paid for the Grammy.

Another story about that record, when I moved to Nashville and was pursuing work I was told by most of the producers that they wanted to see my resume. Now the album that “Midnight Train to Georgia was on had no credits. What’s new? So a producer that I had sent my resume to called me and said, I see that your resume say’s that you played on “Midnight Train to Georgia?” I said yes I did, and then he said to me “I went out to buy the album with that song on it and did not see your name on it, how do I know you are playing on it?” Any Bass player could have laid claim to that song. Andrew Smith and I played on several records in New York where either credits were given to someone else or we just did not get any credits. “Just Don’t Want to be Lonely,” Main Ingredient. “Kiss and Say Goodbye,’ Manhattans. No credits! In fact there is a CD out with that song along with other songs they recorded. Every song on that album gives credits except, yeah you guessed it, “Kiss and Say Goodbye”!!

The doorbell rang one day and a Gold album and a Platinum Single were sent to me. We also played on a Jim Croce hit called “I Got a Name”. Guess what?? The album lists other musicians as the players. About that record, when we had recorded that song Andrew and I were staying together in New Brunswick, New Jersey until we moved our families to the East Coast and not even one week after we recorded that song we heard it on the radio and loved the sound of our instruments, the mix, and thought it sounded great!!

Another situation that happened to me was the first Talking Heads album.
I overdubbed the Bass parts, played with a pick. The sound was exactly like the parts on the record. They need the same notes but with a better feel and better execution. Yeah, no credits. The producers did not even tell the group. Another record I overdubbed 5 (five) songs on was Roberta Flack’s “Blue Lights in the Basement.” Among those 5 songs I overdubbed the hit “Close to You”, but guess what? Yeah, no credits. The album gives credits to three other Bass players, (one of them was even mentioned twice) again one day my doorbell rang and a Gold Record was sent to me for that record.

Now I want to say that every record that I have claimed to play on I really feel in my heart and soul that I played on these records and when I hear these songs I can visualize the sessions and remember certain things that happened in the studio. “Tears of a Clown,” I only did a couple of sessions for Smokey Robinson and I remember that record as being one of them. Yet I have been told that Jamerson is given credits for this record. How could I forget the descending Bass line in “Signed Sealed and Delivered” and the few signature licks, along with Eddie Willis playing the Electric Sitar (the first time I ever saw one on a session). Yet Michael Henderson is laying claim to that one. One thing that I want to say that if I had played on a hit record for any artist and I also played live for them I would be proud to play the Bass line that I played just like the record or as close to the record that I can get. Yet my Bass player friend Phil Chen sent me a tape of a live Stevie Wonder concert and Michael Henderson was the Bass player. When Stevie did “Signed Sealed and Delivered” the Bass part played on that tape was no where like the record.

The “Jackson 5” records; we recorded a numerous amount of sessions for them in Detroit, but the hits are said to have been recorded in Los Angeles? It is hard after all the years that have gone by that all of a sudden you hear that other Bass players are getting credit for some of your work. If it is possible that those few songs that are in question that there were re-cuts or overdubs I will have to live with that. But a Bass player in New York once said to me, “I know what records I played on.”

Bob Babbitt

http://www.bobbabbitt.com/whos.htm

[jwbassman]

Cool. They definately deserve it.

[ugly_bassplayer]

About FRIGGIN' time!!!

[smperry]

They deserve way more than a star!

[MadMan118]

Its about time.

[Mark Wilson]

Originally Posted by smperry

They deserve way more than a star!

+1
They deserve an entire subdivision.

[Eric Perry]

Awesome.

On Gard's recommendation, and after seeing some of it at his crib last week, I just ordered Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Looking forward to enjoying the whole thing!