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Unheralded Sideman

There's a story from the first US tour of the original Jeff Beck Group that after a performance in Central Park's Wollman Skating Ring a PR type from the record label ran up to the group's vocalist, Rod Stewart, and said, "Great show Jeff, and your band has a really good guitarist too!" So much for the intelligence of PR reps, but there are occasions where I think the sidemen musicians are at least as interesting, if not more interesting, than the star performers. Some of my favorite sidemen are:

James Jamerson - bass, Motown house band
Jack Ashford - tambourine, Motown house band
Charlie Watts - drums, Rolling Stones
Jack Cassady - bass, Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna
Bruce Thomas - bass, EC & the Attraction

Anybody eles have their favorite sidemen?
128x128onhwy61
sc53
720 posts
 
Kasper and Walter--yes, it's Kenny Vaughn! Thanks for refreshing my memory. He says absolutely nothing onstage, looks very shy, but just blows everyone away with his well-placed licks. I think he may also play with the super-group (so to speak), Lambchop.
Thanks for the help, guys.
4yanx
1,576 posts
 
Venetta Fields for "side" female vocals
garfish
1,840 posts
 
Zaikesman really nailed this one-- good post. Others that come to mind for me are Jim Keltner on Drums, and Ry Cooder on guitar-- especially slide guitar. I don't know if they're "sidemen" in the conventional sense as both have become somewhat musically famous in their own right. Cheers. Craig
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Yeah, they're sidemen, absolutely, even though they've done work under their own names as leaders. I like 'em better as sidemen.
jayboard
301 posts
 
Some of Steely Dan's guitar collaborators, like Denny Diaz, Larry Carlton (not so unheralded), Dean Parks. I love Jesse Edwin Davis (guitar) -- wish I heard him a lot more. I think Procol Harum's B J Wilson was one of the best rock drummers ever.
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