Chuck Rainey
Charles Walter Rainey III (born June 17, 1940) is an American bass guitarist who has performed and recorded with many well-known acts, including Aretha Franklin, Steely Dan, and Quincy Jones. Rainey is credited for playing bass on more than 1,000 albums, and is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of recorded music. Early life. Rainey was born in Cleveland, Ohio on June 17, 1940, and grew up in Youngstown. His parents were both amateur pianists. He learned piano, violin, and trumpet as a child and majored in brass instruments in college. He attended  Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. Rainey began playing bass guitar in the military. Career. After leaving the military, Rainey joined a local band. His first big professional gig was playing with Big Jay McNeely. He then joined up with Sil Austin to tour Canada and New York. In 1962, Rainey joined King Curtis and his All-Star band; in 1965, they opened for The Beatles' 1965 US tour. He joined Quincy Jones's big band in 1972. By the 1970s he had played with Jerome Richardson, Grady Tate, Mose Allison, Gato Barbieri, and Gene Ammons, as well as with Eddie  Vinson at the 1971 Montreux Festival. Although much of his work was as a session player, Rainey recorded a solo album, "The Chuck Rainey Coalition", in 1969. Other solo albums were "Born Again" (1982), "Hangin' Out Right" (1999), "Sing dr Dance" (2001), and "Interpretations of a Groove" (2012). Rainey wrote the five-volume "Complete Electric Bass Player" instructional books, and filmed instructional videos. The early bass curriculum at Musicians Institute and the Dick Grove School of Music were created by Rainey. He also wrote columns for "Bass Player" magazine from 1990-1992. On November 5, 2011, Rainey had a stroke  which paralyzed his left side. He spent four years receiving physical therapy and practicing meditation and Hatha yoga, and made a full recovery. In 2014, Rainey and drummer John Anthony Martinez cofounded Rhythm Intensive, which provides clinics, workshops, and master classes for aspiring rhythm section musicians. Rainey and Martinez also co-authored "The Tune of Success: Unmask Your Genius". In an interview with Chris Jisi in April 2020, Rainey disclosed that he had retired as a bassist and turned his focus to writing his biography and working with Rhythm Intensive. A Rainey signature line of bass guitars are produced by  Alvarez Guitars and Ken Smith Basses. Rainey will receive an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music at a ceremony on May 7, 2022. Discography. As guest. With Louis Armstrong With Gato Barbieri With George Benson With Donald Byrd With Joe Cocker With Larry Coryell With the Crusaders With King Curtis With Aretha Franklin With Gene Harris With Richard "Groove" Holmes With Bobbi Humphrey With Etta James With Quincy Jones With Yusef Lateef With David "Fathead" Newman With the Rascals With Steely Dan With Sadao Watanabe With Ernie Wilkins With others