Bass Videos
The Legends of Funk and R&B – the Sixties
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Clearly the most important instrument in funk and R&B music – OK, together with the drums – is the electric bass. While Leo Fender first introduced the electric bass in 1951, it wasn’t until about ten years later that the instrument started making an impact in popular music, thanks to James Jamerson, session bassist for Motown Records in Detroit. Following in the footsteps of Jamerson were many notable bassists, most of whom at the time were uncredited and unknown.
In this edition, we will explore legendary funk and R&B bassists of the 1960s. In a past column, we covered the bassists for James Brown, including Bernard Odum, Tim Drummond, and Charles “Sweets” Sherrell, who provided the foundation of funk in the Sixties for the Godfather of Soul. But there are many others who provided some of the most memorable basslines in popular music during the decade. Some of the most prominent are featured here.
James Jamerson
Jamerson is widely credited as the man who brought the electric bass into the forefront of popular music. He played on countless seminal recordings, backing such artists as Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and Junior Walker. Surprisingly, Jamerson plucked the strings using only his index finger, known as “the Claw.” This technique can be seen on this very rare appearance of Jamerson on video, backing Marvin Gaye on “What’s Going On?”
Duck Dunn
Donald “Duck” Dunn was a member of Booker T and the MG’s, which served as the house band at Stax Records in Memphis. There he backed such artists as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Sam & Dave, as well as holding down the bass chair in the MG’s, known for instrumental hits like “Green Onions” and “Hip Hug Her.” In 1977, he joined John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd as part of the Blues Brothers Band, and can be seen in the “Blues Brothers” movie. Here he is with Booker T’s band.
Jerry Jermott
A large influence on players such as Jaco Pastorious (listen to Jaco’s “Come On Come On Over” and “The Chicken”), Jerry Jermott played on many important records of the Sixties and Seventies. He came into prominence when he joined King Curtis’s band in the late Sixties, culminating in the recording of two of the greatest R&B records of all time – “King Curtis Live at the Fillmore West” and “Aretha Franklin Live at the Fillmore West.” One of his most well-known basslines can be heard on B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone.” Here he performs “Memphis Soul Stew” with King Curtis.
George Porter, Jr.
George Porter Jr. co-founded the Meters in 1965 and remains today the most respected practitioner of New Orleans funk bass. Porter has also backed the likes of Dr. John, Maceo Porter, David Byrne, and Paul McCartney. In this video, he is seen with the Meters in 1974.
This month, we discuss right-hand techniques to minimize injury while playing bass.
Dr. Randall Kertz is the author of The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health. Click here to get your copy today!
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Adam Russell, bassist for Story of the Year, hasn’t slowed down for a second.
With the band’s latest album A.R.S.O.N. dropping on February 13, 2026, they’ve not only delivered new music but also pushed their creativity further through a series of visually striking videos, several of which Adam himself co-directed and edited.
In this interview, we dive into the making of the new record, explore how Adam shapes his signature bass sound, and get the inside scoop on the band’s upcoming Camp Screamo Tour with Silverstein and Origami Angel.
Here’s Adam Russell.
Photo: Ryan Stephens
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Get ready for a conversation with one of Southern rock’s enduring forces, Tim Neilsen. For over 35 years, Drivin N Cryin has been delivering a powerful blend of grit, melody, and heart, and they’re not slowing down anytime soon. With their brand-new album “Crushing Flowers” set to drop on April 10th, the band is gearing up for another exciting chapter.
At the core of that signature sound is bassist Tim Nielsen, whose driving grooves have helped define the band’s identity and earned them a place in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
In this interview, we sit down with Tim to talk about the new album, the secrets behind his unmistakable tone, and what lies ahead for Drivin N Cryin.
Here is Tim Nielsen.
Photos: Chris Neilsen, Carlton Freeman, Ted Lanthangue, and courtesy Tim Neilsen
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Oteil Burbridge & Lamar Williams Jr. Champion Love Over Hate in New Single “Hush” | New Album ‘The Offering’ Out May 1.
Bassist Oteil Burbridge and vocalist Lamar Williams Jr. continue the rollout of their forthcoming collaborative album The Offering, with the release of its second single, “Hush”. A slow-burning Southern soul meditation rooted in love, peace, and emotional clarity, the track is a centerpiece on the album with a potent, thematic statement, in Williams’ words to “block out all of that nonsense” and “remember that there is more love in the world than hate.” The full-length album arrives May 1 via Flóki Studios, recorded on Iceland’s northern coast and produced by drummer, engineer, and Soulive co-founder Alan Evans.
While much of The Offering grew out of Burbridge’s banjo-based writing, “Hush” emerged from he and Williams’ shaping a deliberate sonic vision. Burbridge says they were “trying to capture a more old school Memphis, Macon, Muscle Shoals vibe,” leaning into a Southern soul feel that fits Williams’s phrasing. The end result is a song that is unhurried with a deep pocket that allows the groove and the song’s message breathe and stand at the forefront.
The album features an all-star lineup of drummer John Morgan Kimock, percussionist Weedie Braimah, organist Melvin Seals of the Jerry Garcia Band, pianist and violinist Jason Crosby, guitarists Tom Guarna and Jaden Lehman — musicians whose overlapping histories connect the Allman Brothers Band, Dead & Company, the Jerry Garcia Band, Soulive, and West African percussion traditions.
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When I heard that American Vanity, formerly known as Burn the Jukebox, was gearing up to release a new album this summer, it felt like the perfect moment to catch up with bassist and vocalist Virginia Franks.
With a fresh name unveiled just this past January and a clear shift in musical direction, the band is entering an exciting new chapter, one defined by both sonic evolution and a deeper, more focused message.
In this conversation, Virginia opens up about the inspiration behind the upcoming record, how she crafts her distinctive bass tone, what fans can expect from their upcoming tour, and where she sees both herself and the band heading next.
Join me as we dive into it all.
Here is Virginia Franks.
Photo, Devin Kasparian
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Right Hand Technique Strategies with Dr. Randy Kertz
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