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Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carol Kaye has declined her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction invitation
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Carol Kaye, one of the most prolific recording bass players in rock history, has revealed she won't be in attendance when she's inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this Fall. She's set to be honored as part of the Hall's Class of 2025 contingent, which includes several other overdue nods, with The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Bad Company, and Outkast among Kaye's classmates. However, the 90-year-old, estimated to have played on over 10,000 recording sessions and heard on records by Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and the Supremes, has declined her invitation to November's event. 'People have been asking: NO I won't be there. I am declining the rrhof awards show,' she wrote on a now-deleted Facebook post, dated Wednesday, June 18. Kaye says she is 'turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s recording hits.' She first stepped into a recording studio in the late 1950s, laying down rhythm guitar on Sam Cooke's arrangement of the jazz standard, Summertime. She later pivoted to session work and became a talent in hot demand across the '60s and '70s as part of a group of musicians affectionately known as the Wrecking Crew. Kaye, however, doesn't take kindly to being considered a Wrecker. 'You are always part of a team, not a solo artist at all,' she explains, perhaps finding it odd that she's been singled out for the honor. 'There were always 350-400 studio musicians (AFM Local 47 Hollywood) working in the busy 1960s, and called that only. Since the 1930s, I was never a 'Wrecker' at all…. that's a terrible insulting name.' Before her Summertime gig, Kaye was a jazz guitarist, adding that she was 'accidentally asked to record' on the track, and then 'accidentally placed on a Fender Precision Bass in mid-1963 when someone didn't show,' leading to her prolific spell as a bass player. 'I never played bass in my life, but being an experienced recording guitarist, it was easy for me to invent good bass lines,' she adds. 'As a Jazz musician, you invent every note you play, and they used a lot of Jazz musicians.' Notable spots as a bass player saw her set the tone for Quincy Jones' Hikky-Burr, which became the soundtrack to the Bill Cosby Show, and the Beach Boys' iconic LP, Pet Sounds. 'My job was to add feel and groove to Brian's written bass parts,' she once told Bass Player. 'I tried to keep it cooking for him.' She's also said that it took 36 hours to cut Good Vibrations – 'we knew it was a big deal' – and in a rare interview, the band's late figurehead, Brian Wilson, was full of praise for her craft. On personal achievements alone, it is easy to see why so many have campaigned for her inclusion into the Hall's history books. But it's also easy to understand why Kaye, seeing herself as one cog in a much larger music-making machine, doesn't sit easily with the spotlight on her. Her Facebook post signs off by saying: 'I refuse to be part of a process that is something else than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting the truth. We all enjoyed working with each other. Thank you for understanding.' Drummer/producer Questlove has a different take on the situation. Commenting on Stereogum's Instagram post, which featured a screenshot of Kaye's post, he says: 'I appreciate the sentiment, but on the other side of this coin, not getting your flowers and receiving love isn't serving anyone here. 'For historical context, the world needs to see her receive this accolade,' he adds, seeing her as representative of the wider session musician scene. Kim Thayill, meanwhile, believes Soundgarden's induction marks a positive posthumous chapter in the legacy of Chris Cornell.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary '60s Musician Refuses Rock Hall Honor Over ‘Insulting' Label
Legendary '60s Musician Refuses Rock Hall Honor Over 'Insulting' Label originally appeared on Parade. Iconic musician Carol Kaye is skipping this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony — and she's not holding back about why. Kaye, 90, reportedly explained in a Facebook post that she's turning down the honor because the event doesn't properly represent the legacy of studio musicians during her era. 'NO I won't be there,' she wrote. 'I am declining the awards show… turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' She also voiced frustration over the Hall referring to her as part of the 'Wrecking Crew,' a label she's long rejected. 'You are always part of a TEAM, not a solo artist at all,' she wrote. 'There were always 350–400 Studio Musicians… I was never a 'wrecker' at all… that's a terrible, insulting name.' Shortly after her induction was announced, Kaye doubled down in the comments, saying, 'Please know our only name was Studio Musicians,' and added she wasn't sure if she could tolerate being labeled a 'wrecker' to attend the event. Although Kaye is opting out, the Hall will still induct her. A pioneering bassist with more than 10,000 recording credits, Kaye helped shape the sound of popular music behind the scenes, performing on hits by The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel and The Supremes — just to name a few. In her post, she also reflected on her unconventional rise to fame. Originally a jazz guitarist, she was invited to a recording session in 1957 and accidentally ended up playing bass in 1963 when another musician failed to show. 'I never played bass in my life,' she recalled, but quickly found a knack for inventing catchy bass lines. 'As a jazz musician, you invent every note you play.' Now, despite the honor, Kaye is choosing to stand by her values. 'I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in… We all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER.' Legendary '60s Musician Refuses Rock Hall Honor Over 'Insulting' Label first appeared on Parade on Jun 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Carol Kaye is 'declining' her invitation to the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony
Carol Kaye is 'declining' her invitation to the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Show Caption Hide Caption 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees announced The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2025 inductees, which include hip-hop pioneers Outkast and '80s icon Cyndi Lauper. unbranded - Entertainment Carol Kaye, one of the most recorded bassists in rock and pop music, announced on June 18 that she will be declining her invitation to this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. 'People have been asking: NO I won't be there,' wrote the 90-year-old musician in a since-deleted Facebook post. 'I am declining the RRHOF awards show (and Denny Tedesco process)... because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' During the 1960s and 1970s, Kaye was part of a group of session musicians in Los Angeles known as the Wrecking Crew, a collective which often collaborated with the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, the Monkees and more. In 2008, Denny Tedesco directed a documentary on the group, which featured Kaye. However, the 90-year-old musician has long objected to the group moniker. In a 2015 interview, Kaye said the 'first time that phrase was used' was in Hal Blaine's book. 'I had no idea he was going to do something phoney… It's a lie. We were all independent people, there was no set band,' she said. Hal Blaime, a 'Wrecking Crew' drummer, said in the same interview that Kaye had 'somehow forgotten' that 'The Wrecking Crew was established in the early 1960s.' 'I was never a 'wrecker' at all,' she wrote in her recent Facebook post. 'That's a terrible insulting name.' Kaye ended her post with a strong dissent, 'I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting on the truth – we all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER.' Kaye will still be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame despite her absence at the 2025 induction ceremony, where she was set to recieve the Musical Excellence Award. Other inductees this year include Bad Company, Joe Cocker, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes. The complete list: 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carol Kaye Declines Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Carol Kaye, one of the most recorded bassists of all time, has declined the invitation to attend this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. 'People have been asking: NO I won't be there,' wrote Kaye in a Facebook post shared on Wednesday. 'I am declining the rrhof awards show (and denny tedesco process)…..turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' More from Rolling Stone Cyndi Lauper on Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction: 'If You Persist, You Prevail' Warren Zevon's Son Thinks His Dad Would Be Proud to Enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Guitarist Kim Thayil on Soundgarden's Hall of Fame Induction: 'Chris Cornell Would Be Proud' During the Sixties and Seventies, Kaye became part of a group of session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew, a collective often called upon by the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, the Monkees, and more. However, in her post, the 90-year-old musician criticized the group's name, while emphasizing the collaborative nature of studio musicians. '[Y]ou are always part of a TEAM, not a solo artist at all….there were always 350-400 Studio Musicians (AFM Local 47 Hollywood) working in the busy 1960s, and called that ONLY ….since 1930s, I was never a 'wrecker' at all….that's a terrible insulting name,' she wrote. While Kaye featured in Denny Tedesco's 2008 documentary, The Wrecking Crew, she has long objected to the name, stating that the collective didn't use it and that drummer Hal Blaine was the one who dubbed the group. 'Just so you know, as a working Jazz musician (soloing jazz guitar work) in the 1950s working since 1949, I was accidentally asked to record records by producer Bumps Blackwell in 1957, got into recording good music, w/Sam Cooke, other artists and then accidentally placed on Fender Precision Bass mid 1963 when someone didn't show,' Kaye continued. 'I never played bass in my life but being an experienced recording guitarist, it was plain to see that 3 bass players hired to play 'dum-de-dum' on record dates, wasn't getting it…..it was easy for me to invent good bass lines…..as a Jazz musician, you invent every note you play……and they used a lot of Jazz musicians (and former big-band experienced musicians on all those rock and pop dates too).' The famed bassist ended her note by declaring, 'I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting on the truth – we all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER.' Kaye was set to receive the Musical Excellence Award at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Nov. 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Other inductees this year include Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary Bassist Carol Kaye Is ‘Declining' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, Citing ‘Insulting' Use of ‘Wrecking Crew' Nickname for Studio Musicians
Legendary studio musician Carol Kaye has long been known for not suffering fools gladly. We may be able to add the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the list of people she considers fools, judging from her announcement that she will be boycotting her induction into the Hall this fall, due to her objections to language used to characterize her illustrious history. Specifically, Kaye has never made a secret of how much she hates the 'Wrecking Crew' moniker that has long been affectionately applied to the loose confluence of studio musicians that played on scores of the greatest hits of the 1960s. The fact that there was a popular documentary called 'The Wrecking Crew' in 2008 that brought many of these musicians (including herself) further into the public eye only served to heighten her antipathy toward the name. More from Variety Chubby Checker on Finally Twisting His Way Into the Rock Hall of Fame: 'Everybody's Made a Whole Lotta Money Off Chubby. Give the Man Some Credit!' (EXCLUSIVE) Rock Hall of Fame Inductees Unveiled: Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, White Stripes, Chubby Checker, Warren Zevon and More to Join Class of 2025 Phish Wins Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Fan Vote; Bad Company and Billy Idol Come In Second and Third 'People have been asking: NO I won't be there,' Kaye, 90, wrote in a Facebook post. 'I am declining the RRHOF awards show (and Denny Tedesco process)' — a reference to the director of the 2008 documentary — 'turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' Not everything about her Facebook statement is immediately clear to those without a previous understanding of some of the beefs Kaye has raised before. But her aversion to any language referring to 'the Wrecking Crew' is crystal-clear: 'I was never a 'wrecker' at all,' she writes. 'That's a terrible insulting name.' Of course, Kaye turning down the invitation to attend and be personally honored will not stand in the way of her being inducted anyway, in absentia. In 2022, when Dolly Parton attempted to derail her own induction, the Rock Hall made it clear she'd be honored with or without her personal approval, before she came around. Some other more rebellious rockers have rebuffed the honor, like Johnny Rotten, yet remain official Hall of Famers nonetheless. Kaye's declaration that she plans to pass on being personally honored in October did not come as a total surprise to anyone keeping track of her social feed. In April, when she was first announced as one of the Rock Hall's 2025 inductees, she immediately revealed mixed feelings. ''I appreciate so highly all the nice things you have said here, and appreciate the wonderful loyalty!' she wrote in a message to fans. But, she added then, 'Please know our only name was Studio Musicians, not the name a drummer made up for his own quest for fame.' (The drummer in question would be the late Hal Blaine, who came up with the Wrecking Crew nickname and occasionally comes up for scorn in her writings.) As far as a trip to Cleveland went, she was 'not sure if I can put up with their 'wrecker' ID to go to it,' she said in April. She also suggested at the time that health could stand in her way: 'Am not feeling up to much.' Kaye also appears to be objecting to being singled out for an honor apart from the greater collective that she prefers to only be called 'Studio Musicians.' 'You are always part of a TEAM, not a solo artist at all,' she writes. 'There were always 350-400 Studio Musicians (AFM Local 47 Hollywood) working in the busy 1960s, and called that ONLY (s)ince 1930s. … I refuse to be part of a process that is something else rather than what I believe in, for others' benefit and not reflecting on the truth — we all enjoyed working with EACH OTHER.' She adds in the comment thread, 'There's more to it than meets the eye, just so you know.' This is not the first time Kaye has taken something intended as a compliment as ultimately patronizing, if not demeaning. In 2020, she made headlines for slamming the TV series 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' for introducing a character loosely based on her. In an interview with the New York Post, Kaye said, 'A lot of people are saying, 'That must be you. I love it!' But I am not a cartoon — and my life is not a joke. Nobody contacted me. I didn't know a thing about it. I thought that was pretty bad — kind of like slander. … Don't get me wrong, I have a sense of humor … but I am a professional. This is like a putdown to me.' If Kaye can be a little rough around the edges in deflecting would-be homages, that will not put any dents in her reputation as one of the great studio musicians of all time — a legacy that came up again in the wake of the death of Brian Wilson, who used her on 'Pet Sounds' and many other classic Beach Boys records, including 'California Girls,' 'Good Vibrations' and 'Heroes and Villains.' Kaye is one of the most recognized studio musicians of all time, partly by virtue of having been a pioneering woman in an exclusively boys' club, but mostly because she played unforgettable parts on an inordinate amount of the greatest records of all time. She was part of the studio teams assembled by Motown, Phil Spector and Quincy Jones. She contributed to classic cuts by Frank Sinatra, Sonny & Cher ('The Beat Goes On'), Simon & Garfunkel, the Monkees, Glen Campbell ('Wichita Lineman'), Barbra Streisand ('The Way We Were'), Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker ('Feelin' Alright') and Ray Charles. She appeared on TV themes including 'Mission Impossible,' 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'The Brady Bunch.' Kaye used her message Wednesday to relay a quick summary of how she came to specialize in playing bass, despite having first been a jazz guitarist. 'Just so you know, as a working Jazz musician (soloing jazz guitar work) in the 1950s working since 1949, I was accidentally asked to record records by producer Bumps Blackwell in 1957, got into recording good music, w/ Sam Cooke, other artists and then accidentally placed on Fender Precision Bass mid 1963 when someone didn't show…….I never played bass in my life but being an experienced recording guitarist, it was plain to see that 3 bass players hired to play 'dum-de-dum' on record dates, wasn't getting it…..it was easy for me to invent good bass lines…..as a Jazz musician, you invent every note you play……and they used a lot of Jazz musicians (and former big-band experienced musicians on all those rock and pop dates too).' 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