Carol Kaye

Carol Kaye
Birth nameCarol Smith
Born (1935-03-24) March 24, 1935 (age 89)
Everett, Washington, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Session musician, teacher
Instrument(s)Bass guitar, guitar
Years active1949–present
Websitecarolkaye.com

Carol Kaye (née Smith;[1] born March 24, 1935)[2] is an American musician. She is one of the most prolific recorded bass guitarists in rock and pop music, playing on an estimated 10,000 recordings in a career spanning over 65 years.[3]

Kaye began playing guitar in her early teens and after some time as a guitar teacher, began to perform regularly on the Los Angeles jazz and big band circuit. She started session work in 1957, and through a connection at Gold Star Studios began working for producers Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. After a bassist failed to turn up to a session in 1963, she switched to that instrument, quickly making a name for herself as one of the most in-demand session players of the 1960s, playing on numerous hits. She moved into playing on film soundtracks in the late 1960s, particularly for Quincy Jones and Lalo Schifrin, and began to release a series of tutoring books such as How To Play The Electric Bass. Kaye became less active towards the end of the 1970s, but has continued her career and attracted praise from other musicians.

During the peak of her years of session work, Kaye became part of a stable of Los Angeles–based musicians known as the Wrecking Crew. She appeared in the 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew.

  1. ^ Riley, Phoebe (April 16, 2016). "The Beach Girl Behind the Beach Boys". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  2. ^ Murphy, Bill (August 10, 2012). "Forgotten Heroes: Carol Kaye". Premier Guitar. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  3. ^ Berklee College of Music (October 18, 2000). "Berklee Welcomes Legendary Studio Bassist Carol Kaye". Archived from the original on September 10, 2006. Retrieved March 13, 2007. Kaye is the most recorded bassist of all time, with 10,000 sessions spanning four decades.