Bob Babbitt
Bob Babbitt (born November 26, 1937 in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , † July 16, 2012 in Nashville , Tennessee ) was an American session musician (with the bass guitar as the main instrument ), who, among other things , played in the Motown studio band, later famous as The Funk Brothers - Labels belonged to.
Life
Bob Babbitt was born in Pittsburgh in 1937 as Robert Kreiner, the son of Hungarian parents. He received classical training on the double bass at an early age. He was also influenced by the gypsy music of his family. Inspired by the early rhythm and blues wave, Babbitt began performing in local clubs when he was fifteen. Two years later, when he first heard an electric bass, he swapped his double bass for a Fender Jazz Bass . The prospect of better job opportunities led him to move to Detroit in 1961 . There he worked on construction during the day and played in clubs at night. Within a year he was a member of the Royaltones, a local band that was Del Shannon's tour and studio band in 1965 . As his reputation grew, he got more and more studio engagements. His first permanent job as a studio musician brought him the Golden World Studio of producer Ed Wingate. Here he came into contact with the drummer Benny Benjamin , the bassist James Jamerson and others.
Motown owner Berry Gordy took over the Golden World Studio . With that, Bob Babbitt became a permanent member of a group of studio musicians called The Funk Brothers . He has worked in hundreds of recordings for a wide variety of artists such as Stevie Wonder , The Platters , Edwin Starr , Jimi Hendrix , Marvin Gaye and Rare Earth , many of which became international hits. When Motown moved to Los Angeles in 1972, Babbitt left the Funk Brothers and continued to work as a freelance studio musician. As a result, he was hired by many producers and studios and worked with musicians of all kinds, including Phil Collins , Diana Ross and Elton John .
In 1973, Babbitt moved to New York to accept an offer from producer Arif Mardin . After a short time, like other former Motown musicians, he was one of the most sought-after studio musicians in the metropolis. Here, among many others, he took part with artists in the field of jazz such as Frank Sinatra , Dee Dee Bridgewater , Herbie Mann , Jimmy McGriff , Houston Person , Dr. Lonnie Smith and Stanley Turrentine , but also with Alice Cooper , Gloria Gaynour , Cissy Houston , Phyllis Hyman , Nils Lofgren and Teddy Pendergrass . He also toured with Joan Baez and Brenda Lee . In 2004 he was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . Most recently he lived in Nashville with his wife and three children. Bob Babbitt died at the age of 74 from a brain tumor diagnosed in 2011 but not operable.
Web links
- Literature by and about Bob Babbitt in the catalog of the German National Library
- Bob Babbitt's website
- Bob Babbitt at Allmusic (English)
- Bob Babbitt at Discogs (English)
- Bob Babbitt in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Babbit Bio
- ↑ Rolling Stone v. July 16, 2012
- ↑ Note from Spiegel.de accessed on September 13, 2012
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Babbitt, Bob |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Kreiner, Robert (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American bass player and studio musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 26, 1937 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 16, 2012 |
| Place of death | Nashville , Tennessee |