Who was the bass player on Jackson 5's I'll Be There?

[pobrien_ie]

By way of background..... at the start of the year, on New Year’s Eve actually, while playing some monotonous classic rock song at a pub gig, in my head I made a resolution to learn all the classic bass lines. I’d actually planned to learn 365 or one per day in 2012, but due to that being a mammoth task for me and the pressures of life etc., I’m only at around the 100 mark.

Anyway, I’ve been a little OCD about this and have put all the details on to a spreadsheet to track my progress I’ve managed to find the details of the bass players on almost all of the songs I’ve learnt, but can’t find anything on who played this. Jamerson’s name is bandied around a bit, but it’s not on any of his fan websites or discographies, so I’ve pretty much ruled him out. Wilton Felder’s name is also mentioned, as he played on I Want You Back and ABC, but most evidence I find suggests it’s not him.

I think it’s such a great understated bass line, so to save me from going mad, does anyone have any information on this?

[ead]

Wasn't Alan Jackson a bass player? If not him I'm sure one of the brothers was...

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1345827673' post='1782168']
Wasn't Alan Jackson a bass player? If not him I'm sure one of the brothers was...
[/quote]

I just had a quick scan and I agree at least one of the brothers did play bass. They started as an instrumental band IIRC.

[Dingus]

Jermaine Jackson played bass, but I have no idea if he played on I'll Be There .

[pobrien_ie]

Jermaine did indeed play bass, but not in the studio, at least not in the Motown days.

[pobrien_ie]

For my own sanity I'm going to bump this just the once and see how I get on.

It wasn't Jamerson, Felder or a Jackson. Please let this not be the first query I've had that BC couldn't answer

[Protium]

Carol Kaye

[Bassman Steve]

The only other name I can throw in would be the late Bob Babbit.

[Zenitram]

Bob Holness?

[pobrien_ie]

[quote name='Protium' timestamp='1346340480' post='1788061']
Carol Kaye
[/quote]

It's not on her list of credits on her website, credible and all as that is (sense my sarcasm and look at my avatar )....so nope, don't think it was her on that occasion either!!

[pobrien_ie]

[quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1346341228' post='1788077']
Bob Holness?
[/quote]

I really hope I'm not the only one who just googled him

[pobrien_ie]

[quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1346340829' post='1788067']
The only other name I can throw in would be the late Bob Babbit.
[/quote]

Can't find anything to suggest Babbit either.

What surprises me about this is, in IMO, it's such a great bassline, you'd imagine people (well..ahem...certain people anyway) would be queuing up take the credit!