Bass Videos
Rhonda Smith, the Future is Female: September 2020 Issue
Bassist Rhonda Smith…
It is with great pleasure that I got to interview bassist Rhonda Smith, one of the world’s hottest, most accomplished bass players for this month’s September 2020 cover issue.
She’s so cool that I had to turn her into a cartoon that would represent her personal female power.
In these back-to-back interviews, we cover her journey from her past into the future and where we are today in music. And side-note… she will also be the official First Morley girl icon in over 50 years!
The little girl from Halifax, Canada moved to Montreal in order to conquer her musical desires as a female bass player, which was still pretty rare in those days.
It didn’t take long before she climbed to the top of the Canadian music ladder, working with the top artists that were in the spotlight at the time.
I remember meeting her in her early beginnings and already I could see that she was special, very well-spoken, highly motivated, totally professional, as well as being at the top of her game from the very start.
That attitude, combined with hard work and showing up for her destiny, encountered a meeting with the great Sheila E.
This led to an over ten-year relationship as Prince’s ‘main lady of bass’, where she would get put through the personal boot camp, led by Prince himself.
This was followed by another 10 (and ongoing) years as the bottom-end bass drive of the infamous Jeff Beck.
In this two-part interview, you will really get a deep understanding of all the ins and outs of the beyond-amazing journey of Rhonda Smith. Her advice that comes from decades of persistence and showing up for your true life’s calling, which is exactly what Rhonda is all about – all the time.
In this first part of the interview, we will be discussing what it’s like to be in the veteran camp as well as Rhonda’s early beginnings and her first all-girl band.
We also talk about what it takes to develop trust and loyalty from the world’s most successful artists of all time, followed by a deep dive into what it was like working by Prince’s side for over a decade.
Part 1 of this interview finishes on the note of what is the difference between working with Prince vs Jeff Beck.
This interview has a truly fantastic flow, like two old friends talking that you happen to be able to listen in on. It has some of the most inspiring and unheard stories and advice by the queen of bass herself: Rhonda Smith.
Rhonda Smith | “RS2” : Recommended Listening
Do not forget to watch part 2 as you will be blown away by all that Rhonda Smith has to share with you in this intimate 1-on-1 interview with bass player and artist extraordinaire.
In Part 2 of the interview, we will be discussing how Rhonda’s disciplined approach is very similar to martial arts, as well as adapting to the new world situation as an artist.
We will also find out what Rhonda’s life is all about when she is not playing bass, including embracing technologies within her writing and creative process.
From her love of effects for live and recording, her love of her Prs Private Stock Bass to what she thinks of the power of fashion within her creative expression: it’s all here in glorious detail.
The talk continues with some amazing heartfelt advice for aspiring women and artists alike to live by, in order to achieve their true life’s calling.
The interview concludes with what’s going on with Rhonda Smith right now and moving forward into the future.
I want to thank Rhonda Smith for a beyond-amazing interview and wish her the best on her bass and creative journey in continuing to inspire women and the world with her multiple talents.
Be sure to follow her on all her social media:
Instagram: @rhondasmithbass
Facebook: @Rhonda Smith
rhondasmith.com
Bassist Rhonda Smith Featured Videos:
JEFF BECK FULL CONCERT
JEFF BECK WHITE HOUSE PREFORMANCE
PRINCE TONIGHT SHOW
PRINCE ELLEN
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!
View More Bass Health Articles
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.
CONNECT WITH OTEIL BURBRIDGE
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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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