Best singing bassists?

[rogo]

I’ve always been amazed at bassists who can sing and play at the same time, and there’s quite a few bass players with amazing voices, look at Randy Meisner for instance. So, who’s your favourite singing bass player?

[Owen]

Phil Lynott. 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Owen
because he had the wrong double consanant.

[Doctor J]

Glen Benton

David Vincent

Ron Broder

Pete Cetera

[skankdelvar]

Randy Meisner - good call.

 

Assuming we're talking about bassists who sing lead or bass-playing frontmen I have been known to admire the work of:

 

Sting

Lemmy

Phil Lynott

Macca 

Geddy

Jack Bruce

Greg Lake
Suzi Quatro

Gene Simmons

Rick Danko

Benjamin Orr (The Cars)

Burke Shelley

Brian Wilson

 

and for his ethereal harmony vocals, Mr Timothy Schmitt.
 

[WAYNESWORLD]

On the difficulty scale of juggling both singing and playing Mark King even if we like slapping or not.

[CameronJ]

Sting absolutely has to be at the top of the list for me.

[JottoSW1]

John Wetton

[andyonbass]

James Dewar

[Raymondo]

All of the above and ME, for just one sweet memorable night!

 

I could never play anything other than root note wonders when inflicting my singing voice on to the world but...

 

During the brief period that I was playing 5-6 gigs a week and doing nothing else for a living, I found myself singing like a canary ( albeit one that sounds like a foghorn!), and flailing my fingers up and down the fretboard like some Geddy Lee tribute act.

 

One memorable night, in The Courtyard Cabaret Bar (true story!) I was dutifully ploughing through a cover of Lyin' Eyes ( takes up 6+ mins ...handy for filling out the set 😉 ) and during "my verse" I found myself thinking about the bass line and how I could change it next time around AND what I could have for supper when I got home!

 

THREE things all at the same time... I have never been so proud.  😎

 

Of course I am now back to only being able to play Down Down by Quo whilst warbling backing vocals these days but,  you'll never take my moment of glory away from me.

 

 

P.S.   My absolute favourite is ( sadly was) Burke Shelley.👍

Edited February 10, 2022 by Raymondo

[Cato]

Esperanza Spalding.

Meshell Ndegeocello

Edited February 10, 2022 by Cato

[itu]

 

[Bassfinger]

Lemmy.

 

May as well lock the thread now.

[amnesia]

You can argue whether this counts as 'singing' or not...but...Tom Araya from Slayer.

 

Dug P from King's X perhaps?

[Lord Sausage]

Les Claypool maybe more vocals than singing but he would be difficult to do his job.

[Paul S]

I'd add Hamish Stuart to the list - he used to play bass occasionally,  Still does, in fact.

 

Martin Turner, also.

[mikel]

Chris Squire. You could argue he "Only" sang harmony, but what harmony, and while playing those amazing bass lines. Oh, and Phil Lynott.

[BillyBass]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned the greatest singing, bass playing, rock god ever.  David Paton.

 

 

[cetera]

Peter Cetera (Chicago) by far....

 

Then:

Joe Puerta (Ambrosia)

David Paton (Pilot)

Gene Simmons (KISS)

Sting (Police etc)

DUg Pinnick (Kings X)

Geddy Lee (Rush)

Jack Blades (Night Ranger/Damn Yankees)

Kip Winger (Winger)

Tiran Porter (Doobie Bros)

Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)

Timothy B Schmit (Eagles)

Paul McCartney (Beatles etc)

Edited February 10, 2022 by cetera

[Barking Spiders]

Larry Graham and Bootsy Collins both led their own bands and did the lead vocals. Looking at who everyone else has been mentioned, against general perception there are a helluva lot of bassists that are band leaders/front men and not some anonymous bloke lurking among the amps.

 

[casapete]

1 hour ago, Paul S said:

I'd add Hamish Stuart to the list - he used to play bass occasionally,  Still does, in fact.

 

Martin Turner, also.

I’d add Alan Gorrie to the list as well - loved the AWB when he and Hamish swapped lead vocals and bass duties. 

[WinterMute]

McCartney has to be on this list surely?

 

Otherwise, Geddy Lee was the reason I picked up a bass, I was already singing, so learning to play whilst singing just made it natural for me, it's a skill I've neglected of late.

 

Jack Bruce, Burke Shelley, Phil Lynott, Lemmy and Greg Lake.

[Bassassin]

Honourable mention for Ronnie James Dio, who played bass & sang in all the bands he fronted prior to Rainbow.

[peteb]

 

No one has mentioned Glenn Hughes - a tendency to perhaps oversing at times, but what a voice and a good bass player as well... 

 

[Debasser]

Geddy Lee. Many may not like his voice, but personally I love it.

[paul_5]

Timmy C - check out the Wakrat album, it’s awesome.