Member Since: 28/11/2007
Band Members: Member of the Wrecking Crew, Larry Knechtel, was perhaps the most versatile player ever to step inside a recording studio. Born in Bell, California, in 1940, Died August 23, 2009 Yakima, WA, he spent his nascent musical years playing keyboard for the twang guitarist Duane Eddy and the Rebels. As the demand for session players grew during the early 1960s, he started playing a few dates for Phil Spector and quickly became a favorite choice of producers, arrangers, and contractors everywhere. “Larry Knechtel is a real musician,†says the famous L.A. producer Bones Howe (the Turtles, the Association, the 5th Dimension). “With his improvisational skills, he could have been a brilliant jazz musician.â€
Knechtel’s knack for just the right riff made the difference on a huge number of now-classic pop hits. From bass on “Mrs. Robinson†to organ on “Good Vibrations†to the magnificent grand piano on “Bridge Over Troubled Water†(for which he won a Grammy), no member of the Wrecking Crew played so many different instruments on so many different hits. He played the harpsichord on the Partridge Family’s “I Think I Love Youâ€; he played the wah-wah guitar solo on “Guitar Man†by Bread. “I remember the Turtles, the Association—those guys—standing there in the studio watching me, hoping I’d either make a mistake or die,†he cheerfully recalls.
Influences: The discovery that the 32 part overtone series made animals mate leading to the ancient Greek Senators only allowing each musician to play 4 preapproved notes (tetrachords). Johann Sebastian Bach, African musicians enslaved to the US, The invention of the hit hat in the USA, Jelly Roll Morton - invented Jazz, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Louis Armstrong/Baby Dodds, Robert Johnson, Duke Ellington/Big Sid Catlett, Professor Longhair, Chick Webb, Gene Krupa/Buddy Rich, Kenny "Kloot" Clarke, Billie "Lady Day" Holiday, Igor Stravinski, Gail Madden, Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie/Max Roach/Miles Davis, Muddy Waters/Willie "Big Eyes" Smith/Willie Dixon/BB King/Buddy Guy, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Jimmy Johnson/Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Tadd Dameron/Joe Jones, Buddy Holley, John Coltrane/Elvin Jones, Charles Mingus/Danny Richmond, Al Green/Booker T Jones/Al Jackson, Bill Haley, Eddie Cochran, Duane Eddy, Larry Knechtel/Hal Blaine/Joe Osborn/Tommy Tadesco/Leon Russell/Earl Palmer/Jim Gordon/Connie Kaye, The Beach Boys, Sonny Rollins, The Beatles/Stones, The Kinks, Julian "Cannonball" Adderly/Joseph Zawinul, Albert King, Freddy King, The Yardbirds/Bluesbreakers/Mick Fleetwood, The Mothers of Invention/Frank Zappa/Billy Mundi/Vinnie Colieutta, Jimi Hendrix/Mitch Mitchell, Cream/Ginger Baker, Jeff Beck, Taj Mahal, The Almond Borthers, Led Zeppelin, Aaron Copland, Ricky Johnson, Louie "The Outlaw Healer" Block, Clive "Mr Choir" Mefford, The Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Herbie Hancock...you get the picture
Sounds Like: A song bird
Record Label: They said the record deal was coming. When?- Zappa