by cockroach » Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:05 pm
Which is why the only real way to judge a musician's musical talent and ability etc is to see and hear them in a live performance...
So many great sounds , playing styles etc recorded over time are assumed to be the work of the recording artist or band named on the recording...when often, it was the work of an anonymous recording session player- who often was also employed as a sideman in the touring backing group.
Obviously, this situation has existed for many years, but was hushed up for obvious reasons!
As time has passed, more facts have emerged about who REALLY played what on which recordings- often disappointing to discover one's hero or heroes didn't actually produce some or all of the music that we loved, or were influenced by.
For many years, I have had a lot of respect for many session players who should have got more recognition and credit (and earnings!) in the past.
Some favourites of mine did eventually get that recognition and success- Tommy Emmanuel comes to mind, as does Glen Campbell....and in the Shads era in the UK in the late '50's through to the '60's, people like Big Jim Sullivan, Joe Moretti, and even dear old Bert Weedon, and Joe Brown, as well as Clem Cattini, Bobby Graham, and others...although Jimmy Page did OK later on....