Happy Birthday, Carol Kaye (90)!

[OldStrummer]

Rather than an obituary, this is a celebratory post. Carol Kaye, the most-recorded bassist in history turns 90 today!

Happy birthday, Carol!!!

[Offshore Angler]

So happy for her. She's an Icon!

But oldstrummer, calling her the "most-recorded bassist in history" is kind of a stretch, don't you think?

You can start with Bob Moore and Ron Carter.

Chuck

[OldStrummer]

Well, I went to the "experts" (AI) and asked. Here's what came back:

The most-recorded bassist in history is Carol Kaye. She played on an estimated 10,000 recordings, spanning multiple decades and genres. Kaye was a core member of The Wrecking Crew, the legendary group of Los Angeles session musicians who played on countless hits from the 1960s and beyond.


Her bass lines are featured on songs by The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, The Monkees, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and countless Motown and film/TV soundtracks. One of her most famous contributions is the bass line for The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" and the "Mission: Impossible" theme.


While other bassists like James Jamerson (Motown), Nathan East, and Leland Sklar have also recorded extensively, Kaye?s sheer number of sessions and versatility likely make her the most-recorded bassist in history.

But when I asked for a comparison with Bob Moore, I got this answer:

Carol Kaye and Bob Moore were both prolific session bassists, but they worked in different regions and musical circles. Here?s how they compare:


Carol Kaye
Location: Los Angeles


Style: Rock, pop, jazz, film/TV scores


Notable Work:


The Beach Boys (Pet Sounds, "Good Vibrations")


Simon & Garfunkel


The Monkees


Film and TV soundtracks (Mission: Impossible, MASH*)


Estimated Recordings: Around 10,000 sessions


Instrument: Fender Precision Bass (electric)


Legacy: One of the most influential bassists, known for her innovative pick-playing technique and versatility across genres.


Bob Moore
Location: Nashville


Style: Country, rockabilly, pop


Notable Work:


Elvis Presley ("Return to Sender")


Patsy Cline ("Crazy")


Roy Orbison ("Only the Lonely")


Brenda Lee ("I'm Sorry")


Estimated Recordings: Over 17,000 sessions


Instrument: Upright bass (acoustic)


Legacy: One of the architects of the "Nashville Sound," shaping country music with smooth, melodic bass lines.


Key Differences
Genre & Influence: Kaye was dominant in rock/pop and film/TV music, while Moore was essential to country and early rockabilly.


Electric vs. Upright: Kaye mainly played electric bass, whereas Moore primarily used upright bass.


Recorded Output: Moore may have played on more sessions overall, but Kaye had wider genre versatility.


If the metric is sheer session count, Bob Moore may edge out Kaye. But in terms of influence across multiple genres, Carol Kaye is hard to beat.

So, maybe we're both right?

[Offshore Angler]

So, according to your own research Bob more recorded 70% more times than Carol and we're both right?

Ok, I'm stepping off the crazy train. Enjoy the ride!

Chuck

[OldStrummer]

Well, to be honest, I had to look up who Bob Moore was. Not so with Carol Kaye.

I also note that Moore played an upright double bass and Kaye an electric.

So maybe it's correct to say that Kaye is the most-recorded ELECTRIC bassist.

[Tele-Bob]

Hey! It's on the internet, which means it's true! Further validated by the references given from AI. So there... Ba ha ha!

[Offshore Angler]

He he, I won't even bring up Lesh.