Most influential bassist(s)

[blue4]

I'm totally on board with Roger Waters being on the list. He's not only inspired bassists, but other musicians as well. Doesn't matter if he's as good a player as some on the list, he was one of the main creators of some of the best loved music ever made. He influenced everything from stadium shows to songwriting. Of course he should be on the list.

 

[shawn tremblay]

Carol Kaye, No one knows her name but she played on many early tunes, as well as the funky bass lines of Tv themes that inspired a lot of kids to want to play cool riffs.

 

[squidtastic]

Is Les Claypool really nowhere in this thread? I don't know if it was just regional, but in the early 90s, everyone -- at least in the Bay Area -- was trying to play like Les. I spent hours copping the lines from Frizzle Fry, and it definitely made me think differently about constructing bass lines.

 

[Roy Vogt]

A few days remain for the preliminary voting. I will be posting the top 5 for a runoff.
In the Top 5 thus far:
Paul McCartney aka "Sir Paul"
John Entwistle aka "The Ox"
Larry Graham aka "The Thumb"
James Jamerson aka "The Funk Brother"
Jaco Pastorius aka "The Fretless Flash"