Carol Kaye’s bass lines have graced countless iconic albums and singles, TV themes and film soundtracks of the 1960s and early 1970s. Her work can be heard on classic tracks running the gamut from Sonny & Cher’s “The Beat Goes On” and the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” to “River Deep – Mountain High” by Ike & Tina Turner and Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright.”
With more than 10,000 recordings to her credit, Kaye is considered the most recorded bass guitar player of all time, but she actually started out as a session guitarist in the late 1950s. That’s her playing rhythm guitar on Ritchie Valens’ 1958 classic “La Bamba.” She also played electric guitar on the Beach Boys hits “Surfing’ U.S.A.” and “California Girls.”
In 1963 though, fate stepped in and forever changed her career trajectory.
“During the surf-rock craze, it was increasingly difficult to even like to play guitar on those dates,” she recalls. “Unlike the earlier sessions, it was not fun.
“So late in 1963, when a bass player didn't show up at Capitol Records, I was elected to play someone's Fender Precision. All of a sudden, it was fun to play music again, and I knew then that by playing and creating bass parts I could do studio work and be happy, and take care of my family.”
When a bass player didn't show up at Capitol Records, I was elected to play someone's Fender Precision. All of a sudden, it was fun to play music again.”
—Carol Kaye
A combination of simplicity and ingenuity lay at the heart of Kaye’s distinctive bass tone.
“I only played with a hard pick but could quickly turn my tone knobs to simulate either a thick ‘fingers’ sound or a clicky high-end, like on the Nancy Sinatra dates,” she explains. “My pick-style was creating big waves in the recording industry in L.A., and suddenly all the producers had to have me. They loved my sounds and the funky parts I could create.”
Kaye also became an esteemed member of L.A.’s famed Wrecking Crew. (Notably, she chose not to be honored when the Crew was inducted in the Rock Hall last year.) The group of go-to session musicians was pivotal to forging Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound productions.
“Phil was fun and good to work for back in the ’60s, he paid us all well,” Kaye recalled of working with Spector. “He was a genius at sounds, and innovated so many things. He put extra mikes on the drums and guitars and was the first to use headphones for all the studio musicians in the studios.”
Looking back over her career Kaye recalls one memorable session in 1973 for Barbra Streisand’s hit single — and signature song — “The Way We Were,” the title track to her film and album of the same name. The date illustrates the importance of Kaye’s role in any session she was hired for.
As she recalls, the session for the December 1973 recording was huge. It included both a band and full orchestra, with Streisand herself singing live.
“For the first time in years, you saw everybody you had been recording with. All the string players, horn players were there, and it was fantastic to all play together in that large studio.”
But Kaye had no room to develop her own bass lines.
“Marvin Hamlisch, the songwriter, didn't want me to change any part of his written-out bass line in his arrangement,” she reveals.
As the session got underway, it was clear the song had legs.
“You knew it was going to be a biggie hit,” Kaye says.
But as the hours dragged on, nothing good was coming of it.
“Streisand, being a top pro, did about 33 straight takes,” the bassist recalls. “Nothing was wrong; we just hadn't hit that ‘hair-raising’ hit-take yet. The tune was sort of losing its potency.”
Kaye decided to try something different.
“I thought, To heck with playing the part as it was written. I just started playing. I was inventing on the bass.”
Drummer Paul Humphrey glanced over at Kaye.
“He smiled and changed his drum part too,” she recalls.
I wanted to meet her, but the whole orchestra — probably 50 to 60 people — surrounded her. I had to leave, but that was a special date.”
— Carol Kaye
“And boom! The take came to life.
"I remember looking over at the booth where Barbra was, and she was holding a long note, while I was filling with arpeggios on the bass part, our eyes met and it was electricity. You knew this was the take. Man, was that fun.”
That was as close as Kaye got to Streisand.
“I wanted to meet her,” she says, “but the whole orchestra — probably 50 to 60 people — surrounded her.”
Besides, Kaye — always the most popular session bassist — had an early morning film call.
“I had to leave,” she says, “but that was a special date. A nice date with good feeling."
