Saturday March 13, 2021 “River Deep Mountain High” Ike & TinaTurner (Carol Kaye)
Of course I know we just had Tina earlier this week and repeats are something I try desperately to resist but two things come into play here: one it’s Tina Turner, enough said; and two we’re really talking about Carol Kaye today. And you are thinking, of course Carol Kaye, what, who?
In a world of contradictions Carol Kaye represents a significant one. Here is a mid thirties, white woman who became one of the most sought after session bass players in the 60’s and early 70’s, and no stereotyping intended here, but let’s be honest when you think bass players this is not the image that immediately pops into your mind.
Carole Kaye was the sole female member of Phil Spector’s (and many others) legendary studio band known as the Wrecking Crew. There is an interesting documentary coincidentally called The Wrecking Crew which is a fine piece of music history and provides some insight into the making of so many hits that you possibly thought were recorded by bands that received credit for them.
Ms. Kaye worked with artists as varied as: Frank Sinatra, Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, The Supremes, The Temptations, the Four Tops and The Monkees. Ok maybe there were a few others that benefitted from Carol Kaye’s bass lines like: Glen Campbell, Quincy Jones, Frank Black, Sonny & Cher, Frank Zappa, the Beach Boys, Marvin Hamlisch, Ike & Tina Turner and...
Dr. John has said that Kaye "is a sweetheart as well as a kick-ass bass player" and Paul McCartney, also a bass player of some renown, said that his bass playing on The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was inspired by her work on Pet Sounds
Before she picked up a bass guitar Carol played acoustic guitar on Ritchie Valens “La Bamba” and the Righteous Brothers classic “You’ve Lost That Lovin Feeling” and...well I think you are getting the picture and wondering just why it is that Carol Kaye is not better known...yeah, why?
If you're wondering what Carol contributes to a song, that’s her bass line at the intro of “River Deep” and again at 1:06 and again at 2:15.
Stay safe and well...and Phil Spector felt this was the greatest song he had produced to date and said that if it wasn’t a number one hit he would retire. It wasn’t, and he left the music business for two years.