Joe Osborn (session musician) interview excerpt

[@Ronbo710]

This man MADE Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In. That bassline STRUTS !!!

[@dwtime]

That boy has some funky bones!

[@CWA61]

The bassline in that recording overpowers every other player. It added a 6th dimension to the ensemble.

[@saml.williams6321]

Out of all the Wrecking Crew Bass players, he was definitely the most recognizable one. I’m sorry Carol Kaye but any true music fan can hear a Joe Osborne bass line from a mile away when you listen to Ricky Nelson or Johnny Rivers or The Fifth Dimension or Scott McKenzie or The Association. He was very lucky to have played on tracks where his bass was mixed right up in front since his early days with Ricky Nelson, so you can definitely hear him loud and clear on so many classic 60’s songs recorded in LA. Even a genius like James Jamerson himself wasn’t always fortunate to have his bass mixed loudly on the stuff he played on especially in the early days of his time with Motown when he was using an upright bass. A lot of times you really had to listen hard to really hear the Genius of James but definitely not for Mr. Joe Osborne.

[@ibleebinU]

I'll agree with that!

[@mariozermeno2649]

Fantastic bass player Aquarius was just insane !

[@luvbasses5487]

A lot of players play with a pick…but Joe’s sound stands out and is immediately recognizable upon the very first note you hear. For instance the Glen Campbell song Honey Come Back came over my radio a few weeks back. There was “that sound” again! I researched it and sure enough…there was Joe’s name in the lineup! Not surprised!

[@dashoverton1963]

As a fan of the brother-sister group, The Carpenters, I can honestly say that just listening to acapella versions of Karen’s voice isolated with Joe Osborn’s bass playing is enough as a sublime performance for the ages.

[@jayhendricks67]

His bassline Let the Sunshine in was his signature and he left his mark forever with that one Song

[@greencraig8570]

What an incredible bass player. So musical. I loved his bass on the Mamas and the Papas, Twelve Thirty

[@richc47us]

Joe Osborn was my idle when I first got started playing bass. In those early years, even before recordings had the names of the studio players on records, you could hear that it was Joe on the session. I was so excited about becoming a studio musician, I quit my day job and went to music school. There wasn't much written in libraries about becoming a studio player back then but I knew that if I was going to work in a studio, I had to read. I couldn't believe all the artists that had Joe on their sessions...amazing...his sound was so distinctive.

[@kenspooner7459]

A great gentleman who I had the good fortune to meet not long before he moved out of Nashville. We almost got to work together, and I did get to do something with Joe's soul brother the late great Larry Knechtel. These guys were MUSICIANS of the highest calibre

[@michaelmaddox1075]

He should have helped his dad...never did....his dad lived in poverty...sad

[@shrimpflea]

His busy, funky bass line on "Let the Sunshine In" is a masterpiece.

[@w.e.garrard4837]

My "college" roommate in '68-'69 played bass in a local college band. He edified and emulated Joe Osborn. Joe was the best!!!

[@vrzM8]

legend, it's incredible how much a detailed bass line can make a song, the wrecking crew made lot of decent songs into amazing recordings

[@JimmyPlato1]

What a great music legend this man is. He played on so many great songs in the 1960's and 1970's. A lot of these songs he played on were pure classics and my absolute favorites. All of you music fans out there should look up and find out what this great bass player did in his career. It will blow you away to find out the list of how many great songs he played on. Other than Peter Cetera, Joe Osborn is my all-time favorite bass player. A tremendous talent.... RIP

[@TRJBASS]

Thank you for posting this !!

[@hardlines4]

Love Joe's bass line on Americas Tin Man!

[@dwtime]

And The Grass Roots Midnight Confessions, killer bass line.

[@dwtime]

Nope Joe played on the Grass Roots records.

[@hertzdem1]

It was Joe.

[@jburtonca]

It is a great bass line and it is very far forward in the mix.

[@barbaranorton2122]

That is what I heard too, on an interview by Carole.

[@bigbass421]

This man is one of the best BASS players to ever play the instrument. His lines are not only articulate, and imaginative...they stand on their own as compositions unto themselves in some cases. Listen to his performance on "I Just Dropped In," by Kenny Rogers and The First Edition. His TONE, a rare both pickups on track ...and the bass DETUNED a whole step for this, is amazing.

[@bigbass421]

His discography, outshines even the greats like Carol Kaye, James Jamerson- and all the rest. Why? Because he was, easily, the most recognizable bassist on the tracks he played on. With Jamerson- his 'sub' the Late great Bob Babbitt, has such a similar style and tone- that most musicians cannot tell who is playing on what. Did you know that Bob played on "Tears Of A Clown" well- now you do. There's no doubt that Joe Osborn played on "Windy" "Everything That Touches You," "Aquarius," "Travelin' Man" and so many other tunes we love. R.I.P. Joe, and thanks.

[@sumrica]

Love it !!

[@mjnc3672]

Joe played the bass on the Association's "Everything That Touches You".

[@DanDDirges]

Richard Carpenter has said that Joe Osborn is the greatest bass player he ever heard!

[@fool4singing]

Every bass line on all the Carpenter's albums is played by Joe.

[@zigman8550]

Thank you Joe for launching the career of the Carpenters. You were the one who discovered Karen's awesome voice.

[@alphabeets]

This is a great series of interviews.

[@MyUnderTone]

Does anyone know if Joe Osborne's bass line on "The Only Living Boy in NY" / Simon and Garfunkel, is available as a tab? --thx

[@dugsdale]

Been listening to the Carpenters catalogue lately, and I think Joe is the "Third Carpenter" because his bass is such a positive and distinctive contribution in all those recordings, true for everything else he's done too. If the above is an "excerpt," wonder where the entire interview is. Nice footage of him too in the new but unreleased "Wrecking Crew" movie (they have a youtube channel with video excerpts worth checking out). Love the interview! Wish it were longer!

[@jburtonca]

Check out the beautiful bass slides he does on the Carpenters "For All We Know".

[@carlosarturosousagarridole9361]

And don't forget his work whit the Carpenters.

[@fool4singing]

Exactly,..every bass line on every Carpenters album was done by Joe.

[@capitolemiproducer]

Actually it may be safe to say Joe played on almost all the Soul City records, and for sure ALL Dunhill recordings along with Hal Blaine and Larry Knetchel

[@TheForeverFamily]

@ TheEnormousPianist Now you know why many studio musicians didn't like playing live and in many cases wouldn't do it. Charts can fall, wind blows, stand lights go out, amps go out, stuff happens that's not always the musicians' fault. And no way could they have memorized even the big hits because they were doing tens of sessions each day for movies, commercials, TV, not just record dates. There's a live 5th Dimension LP out with clams. Even the greatest musicians are human, but recordings are forever.

[@onsitedrugandalcoholtestin7178]

Joe has been real ill lately, Prayers needed. I just saw him today.

[@ElectricBoogaloo007]

RIP

[@tonysinatra5128]

Amen, BuayGuy.....asolute killer bass part.

[@fosbury68]

@dugsdale Totally agree. His baseline on "Hurting Each Other" is so intimately intertwined with Karen's vocal it takes your breath away. And that's just one example.

[@capitolemiproducer]

The Carpenters-Mamas and Papas-Rickie Nelson-5th Dimension just to name a few

[@fool4singing]

...and The Partridge Family albums.

[@TheEnormousPianist]

Is this the same Joe Osborn playing bass for Mamas & Papas at Monterey Pop? What happened there - check out 1:43:00 from: 'Monterey Pop Festival 1967 Bonus Performances' here on youtube. I think maybe Joe was too high to read the charts.

[@markconnors8218]

Same guy indeed lol

[@Nashvilleagain]

R.I.P.

[@nakadrog]

As a Scot living in ATL, GA , one interesting aspect of this interview is the apparent absence of racial overtones given the time (60s) and interaction (wrecking crew = white session musicians; 5th dimension = black singers). Hmmm

[@rogerscottcathey]

Aquarius bass line Lets see him play it!

[@markconnors8218]

Watch the Wrecking Crew documentary and you will see him play it.

[@THXx1138]

Gee, looking kind of chubby there Joe. Your insensitive comments killed Karen.

[@barbaranorton2122]

What comments?

[@hairnsap]

piss off dipshit