Gift To Andy 60s Music Blog For Nearly 6M Views: By Author Henri Gann [California].

Carol Kaye: First Lady On Bass. Read it out loud!

Old friend Henri writes again, after many, many years, as he sends me this gift below about his favourite instrument and about guitar lady, Carol Kaye. Thanks Henri. Our friendship never ends with this music connection...

My fascination with the Precision Bass began when I saw the late Nokie Edwards, one of my favorite members of The Ventures, playing bass in the group’s early years. I still remember that rich, crisp punch—the deep bass notes that could almost turn into a growl when pushed through a Fender Bassman amplifier.

Even today, that sound immediately transports me back to my teenage years and The Trekkers, when we tried to capture that same driving Ventures sound with our own bass guitar. Music has a remarkable ability to preserve a moment in time. A few deep notes from a Precision Bass, and suddenly I am young again.

Carol Kaye: Bassist, Guitarist

Carol Kaye 'Boogaloo' 

YouTube Video by: Sleazy Emotions.

My recent reading about Carol Kaye, now 91 and one of the most prolific bass players in the history of popular music, rekindled my interest in the Precision Bass. As a legendary Los Angeles studio musician, she played on thousands of recordings during the 1960s and 1970s, often providing the bass lines behind songs that became part of the soundtrack of our generation.

In 2025, Kaye declined her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category. Among her objections was the way the story of Los Angeles studio musicians—and particularly the label commonly used to describe them—had been portrayed and commercialized over the years.

So, the next time you hear one of these familiar recordings, listen beyond the singer and melody. Listen for the bass. You may be hearing Carol Kaye:

“These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” — Nancy Sinatra (1966)

“Last Train to Clarksville” — The Monkees (1966)

“The Beat Goes On” — Sonny & Cher (1967)

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” — The Righteous Brothers (1964)

“Good Vibrations” — The Beach Boys (1966)

“California Girls” — The Beach Boys (1965)

“Homeward Bound” — Simon & Garfunkel (1966)

“Sloop John B” — The Beach Boys (1966)

“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” — The Beach Boys (1966)

“Wichita Lineman” — Glen Campbell (1968)

"Mission Impossible" Theme

"The Addams Family" Theme

"Hawaii Five-O" Theme

For me, this particular Bass guitar is more than an instrument. It is a sound tied to a time in my life—the Ventures, the Trekkers, and the excitement of being young and trying to make music of our own.

By Author: Henri Gann.

Comments are welcome.

Author Henri Gann lives in California, USA.

He is one of the original contributing writers for this blog.

Thanks Henri.