James Jamerson

James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bassist. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases until 1971), and is now regarded as one of the greatest and most influential bass players in modern music history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. As a session musician he played on twenty-three Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits, as well as fifty-six R&B number-one hits. In its special issue "The 100 Greatest Bass Players" in 2017, Bass Player magazine ranked Jamerson number one and called him the most important and influential bass guitarist.

Quotes about James Jamerson

• The amount of Motown legends seems endless. Notably when talking about those in the background. That's where Jamerson comes in. A good amount of the bass work laid down during the glory days of Motown's dominance in the pop music world can be credited to Jamerson, whose technically solid and creative playing was a signature of the label's sound. The Hall of Famer was also one of the most prominent and revered session bassists during the 1960s and ‘70s. He played on legendary tunes such as "You Can’t Hurry Love," "My Girl," and "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." Talk about legendary.
  • Jeff Mezydlo of Yardbarker (February 2025) [1]