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Is Nashville the new Motown?

bumperbass

bumperbass

Jun 19, 2012
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1,491
#1
Country radio sure is hot these days, if you haven't noticed, and there's some very catchy, well-played and well-produced bass lines being created. I was listening the past few weeks, and today I heard the new Lady Antebellum song, Heart Break, and IMO it has a pretty slick, tasteful bassline. I can't find out who's playing bass on it. That got me to thinking, is Nashville using a few in-demand bass players for recording, sort of like the James Jamerson's of country music? What percentage of new music coming out of Music City is done by session players compared to live players that actually tour with the bands?
To me, the producers are having a blast filling up all 500 tracks available to them. A lot of the current hits have 5 guitars in them, along with 6 harmony parts and subtle banjo, fiddle, keyboard and 50 other instruments embedded in them.
Thoughts?
 
#2
I know in the early 90s, country radio was hot too, and was really changing its sound, 5 string basses were all of a sudden everywhere. Seemed like about a half dozen outstanding studio guys who did most of it. I haven't followed who is playing on today's records, but I wouldn't be surprised if the situation is similar.
 
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#3
It's likely every recording studio has it's circle or network of musicians they frequent. That was the way it was back in the Motown days. Think of Stax, Chess, Muscle Shols, RCA, ETC..., that's the way it's always been in the music industry. With that said, Motown is Hitsville USA, and Nashville is Nashville USA, much like Austin TX is considered the Live Music Capital of the world.
 
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#6
there are both bands that record and tour together, as well as studio pros that don't tour. Example of first is Jason Aldean's band, and an example of the latter is the aforementioned Lady Antebellum. In general, it depends on whose in charge of the band, the suits, or the artists. But in country, it sure seems that there are far more "name singers" with bands comprised of interchangeable parts than there are bands that stick together from project to project. More so than rock bands.
 
#7
I got to meet one of 'those' bass players about 10 years ago during some sessions all over music row - probably 3 - 4 studios. One was just doing backing vocals. One was just the keys and drums. Another had the individual musicians playing at the same time. Won't say who but the bassist I met freaked me out! His bass was hung just below his chin - really! He played it like a keyboard almost. But all the producer had to do was show him the sheets and he'd be playing almost immediately a really good bass run. He went to the john for a quick break and never removed his bass. When the producer hires a musician he gets him/her for usually 4 hours so a really good/fast mixer can get maybe a dozen bass tracks down in that time. It's really all about the money.
 
#8
Holdsg said:
there are both bands that record and tour together, as well as studio pros that don't tour. Example of first is Jason Aldean's band, and an example of the latter is the aforementioned Lady Antebellum. In general, it depends on whose in charge of the band, the suits, or the artists. But in country, it sure seems that there are far more "name singers" with bands comprised of interchangeable parts than there are bands that stick together from project to project. More so than rock bands.
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That's because it's easier to deal with one ego than six. The old divide-and-conquer routine.
 
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#9
I think I remember reading that Adam Nitti lived in Nashville and it made me wonder if he ever takes any country session work. Adam doesn't necessarily seem like a "country" sort of guy but doesn't make him not able to play country.

A guitarist originally from my home town, John Jorgenson, spent a majority of his life living in Nashville and he did about a zillion country sessions. His specialty is actually playing Django Rhinehardt style Gypsy Jazz but he can also play country like a MoFo.
Hellecaster-Ad.jpg
 
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#10
Drummer Lee Kelley and I have a mutual friend and I got to chat with him a few years back. While he's enjoyed several live gigs, he says the Nashville studio scene is absolutely dominated by the usual 5 to 6 guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc. and those guys get all the work. I guess those producers and labels want a well-oiled machine when the little red light goes on.
 
#12
roller said:
Drummer Lee Kelley and I have a mutual friend and I got to chat with him a few years back. While he's enjoyed several live gigs, he says the Nashville studio scene is absolutely dominated by the usual 5 to 6 guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc. and those guys get all the work. I guess those producers and labels want a well-oiled machine when the little red light goes on.
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Jimmy Lee Sloas is a Nashville bassist I’ve been following for quite a while now. His list of credits is quite impressive. As posted above, I would be surprised if the Country Music coming out of Nashville was played by more than 30-35 people tops.

If you listen closely, you can discern the styles and note selection. It isn’t real easy and that’s a credit to the skills of the players on those recordings.

Here’s a list. You could probably pick a song or album and get the credits: Jimmie Lee Sloas | Credits | AllMusic

In an interview Jimmy Lee uses a Precision (a few different ones) bass strung BEAD.
 
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#13
MrLenny1 said:
Mike Brignardello is a top Nashville studio bassist.
I have beeen playing Country the past two years and have noticed that the bass
lines and arrangements are very similar on certain tunes.
The producers do not stray too far from what works and sells.
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When we’re gigging, between sets there’s almost always house music playing so, I’ll just listen to the song & find the structure: 1-5-3-2 or is it a 1-6-4-2-5, or however it goes. There are similarities of composing patterns in all of pop music.

It’s a way to learn a song almost on the fly and that way, key isn’t a primary concern for decoding. Someone can holler it out and if you’ve heard it or there’s a chart, you’re most of the way there...provided the drummer can count properly.
 
#15
So, when people complain that country music is awful nowadays, that is because just a few guys get all the gigs. Breed a family together for years and you get all kinds of physical and mental ailments/deformities......Not speaking from experience.

I'd imagine the same logic applies to music. If there is a deformity in the music scene, I think we now know why.

Best thing to do is vary your musicians. The more in the gene pool, the better.
 
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#17
Member8675309 said:
So, when people complain that country music is awful nowadays, that is because just a few guys get all the gigs.
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As Lee Moses notes Nashville has been like that since the '50s. Even after the attitude had passed in the rock and pop world the music execs in Nashville tended to consider the studio recordings too important to trust to the guys who performed live.
 
#18
Member8675309 said:
So, when people complain that country music is awful nowadays, that is because just a few guys get all the gigs. Breed a family together for years and you get all kinds of physical and mental ailments/deformities......Not speaking from experience.

I'd imagine the same logic applies to music. If there is a deformity in the music scene, I think we now know why.
Click to expand...

You're looking at this from the wrong end. As Michael Rhodes says, you like to work with the people who came up with you, the people you like to hang with. That's how you get studio groups like The Players: Brent Mason, Paul Franklin, John Hobbs, Eddie Bayers, Rhodes. They are used to working together, and you hire them to help you be creative. Like The Wrecking Crew did in the '60s. The deformity is with the caution of artists and producers who know what sells and want to keep making variations on the same ideas. New Country is all about image and money, and it attracts people who are into image and money.

Although, speaking of image, here is something interesting: Rhodes has been and as far as I know still is a fashion model for Vogue Men. Hey, he's tall, skinny, athletic, and Invalid Link Removed. :D
 
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#19
tim gueguen said:
As Lee Moses notes Nashville has been like that since the '50s. Even after the attitude had passed in the rock and pop world the music execs in Nashville tended to consider the studio recordings too important to trust to the guys who performed live.
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Some would argue there began the slow decline of country music. It all ebbs and flows. I think we see more ebb current, in regards to country music with a soul, with the current generation, with some flow of course.
 
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#20
Mike Brignardello and Jimmie Lee Sloas are two of my favorites. And looking at their credits, both did a lot of CCM work previously. I originally knew of Mike Brignardello from Travis Tritt's work. I just picked up an Amy Grant hits from about 78-86 and a lot of it is Mike Brignardello. The way he played made me think of Nathan East or Freddie Washington, big difference from TROUBLE by Travis Tritt. Then Jimmie Lee Sloas, back in high school when I listened to a lot of CCM with my friend, he was everywhere. My favorite work he did was with Out Of The Grey, especially The Shape Of Grace album. Maybe they all branched out. Gary Lunn was another CCM bassist and later was all over Toby Keith's work. And Tommy Sims played with Bruce Springsteen.
 
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