Kenny Rogers, Bass player

[One_Dude]

I have always been a big fan of The First Edition band from the 60's and 70's. With the recent passing of Kenny Rogers, I have been watching YouTube videos of the band from those years. I played only guitar at that time and had not started on the bass yet. So for two reasons, one, I really liked their music but didn't play bass, and two, because I was almost totally distracted watching Mary Arnold and her short skirts, I never paid much attention to Kenny's bass playing.

Watching these videos today, I am pretty impressed by Kenny's playing and his ability to play somewhat involved bass patterns and sing at the same time. I can sing and play bass, but to do so I have to stick to really simple bass lines. In fact, I had completely forgotten that Kenny played the bass in the band, so it has been a real treat to revisit those old songs and pay attention to the bass playing. Of course, I am still distracted by Mary Arnold's short skirts, but not to the same degree these days.

Thump on,

One_Dude

 

[jdh3000]

I have always been a big fan of The First Edition band from the 60's and 70's. With the recent passing of Kenny Rogers, I have been watching YouTube videos of the band from those years. I played only guitar at that time and had not started on the bass yet. So for two reasons, one, I really liked their music but didn't play bass, and two, because I was almost totally distracted watching Mary Arnold and her short skirts, I never paid much attention to Kenny's bass playing.

Watching these videos today, I am pretty impressed by Kenny's playing and his ability to play somewhat involved bass patterns and sing at the same time. I can sing and play bass, but to do so I have to stick to really simple bass lines. In fact, I had completely forgotten that Kenny played the bass in the band, so it has been a real treat to revisit those old songs and pay attention to the bass playing. Of course, I am still distracted by Mary Arnold's short skirts, but not to the same degree these days.

Thump on,

One_Dude

Yes he was more of a musician than most people knew about.

Yes he could play those parts and sing, probably due to having played upright and singing in his earlier years.

I can play complicated bass parts and sing, but playing upright and singing seems much more difficult.

I used to have trouble playing bass and singing. I could play guitar and sing, but bass took me a while. For a spell I could play simple parts but that was it. Once it fell to me to sing Come Together by the Beatles for a request. Not that complicated and I knew how to play it but never played and sang it at the same time. I winged it and it came off well...after that it became easier.

You just have to push yourself beyond your comfort zone, which is what I'm working on now with singing while playing upright.

 

[portpc]

Like all great singing bassists you notice with him how relaxed he is while performing, a combination of talent and practice!

 

[Rich Fiscus]

Kenny Rogers was a monster player. Not just on bass guitar either. He had serious chops on upright too. If he hadn’t been a singer, he still could have made a good living as a sideman and session musician.

 

[G-Dog]

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[Dr. Cheese]

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I said in another thread that Kenny Rogers is proof that people at the top of show business are often far more talented than what they get famous for doing.