Famous American Bassists

Vote for Your Favourite American Bassists

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 1 
Duff McKagan
(Musician, Songwriter)
Duff McKagan
4
Birthdate: February 5, 1964
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 2 
Nikki Sixx
(Co-Founder and Bassist of Heavy Metal Band 'Mötley Crüe')
Nikki Sixx
8
Birthdate: December 11, 1958
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: San Jose, California, United States

Nikki Sixx, the co-founder, songwriter, and bassist of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, has also worked with side bands such as Sixx:A.M. Sixx owns a clothing line, has been part of radio shows such as Sixx Sense, and has written a bestselling memoir. He is also a talented photographer.

 3 
Flea (Musician)
(Musician, Actor, a Member and Bassist of the Rock Band ‘Red Hot Chili Peppers’)
Flea (Musician)
4
Birthdate: October 16, 1962
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia
Michael Balzary, or Flea, is best known as the bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has also been part of the supergroup Atoms for Peace, appeared in films such as The Big Lebowski, and voiced Donnie Thornberry in The Wild Thornberrys franchise. He also co-owns a music-oriented non-profit.
 4 
Tina Weymouth
(Musician, Founding Member and Bassist of the New Wave Group ‘Talking Heads’)
Tina Weymouth
3
Birthdate: November 22, 1950
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Coronado, California, United States

Tina Weymouth is an American singer, author, songwriter, and musician. She is credited with founding the now-defunct new wave group Talking Heads, for which she also served as the bassist. She is also credited with co-founding Tom Tom Club, a side project of Talking Heads. In 2002, Tina Weymouth was made a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

 5 
Robert Trujillo
(Bassist for American heavy metal band Metallica)
Robert Trujillo
4
Birthdate: October 23, 1964
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 6 
Jermaine Jackson
(Singer-songwriter)
Jermaine Jackson
4
Birthdate: December 11, 1954
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 7 
Randy Jackson
(Bassist)
Randy Jackson
4
Birthdate: June 23, 1956
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Randy Jackson started his career playing bass guitar for various artists, He then started his stint as a producer with Columbia and MCA Records. He is best known for his appearance as a judge on American Idol. He has also been the executive producer of America's Best Dance Crew.
 8 
Peter Tork
(American Actor & Musician)
Peter Tork
6
Birthdate: February 13, 1942
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Died: February 21, 2019
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 9 
Kim Deal
(Singer)
Kim Deal
5
Birthdate: June 10, 1961
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, USA
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 10 
Benjamin Orr
(Best Known as the Bassist, Co-founder, and Co-lead Vocalist of the Rock Band 'The Cars')
Benjamin Orr
4
Birthdate: September 8, 1947
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lakewood, Ohio, United States
Died: October 3, 2000
 11 
Kim Gordon
(Singer)
Kim Gordon
3
Birthdate: April 28, 1953
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rochester, New York, USA
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 12 
Dan Fogelberg
(Musician)
Dan Fogelberg
6
Birthdate: August 13, 1951
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Peoria, Illinois, USA
Died: December 16, 2007
 13 
Thundercat
(Musician)
Thundercat
10
Birthdate: October 19, 1984
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
 14 
Taylor Goldsmith
3
Birthdate: August 16, 1985
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Folk rock singer Taylor Goldsmith is best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the band Dawes. He has previously been part of the band Simon Dawes. He is married to singer Mandy Moore and has written quite a few songs for her album Silver Landings.
 15 
Charles Mingus
(One of The Greatest Jazz Musicians & Composers in History)
Charles Mingus
3
Birthdate: April 22, 1922
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Nogales, Arizona, United States
Died: January 5, 1979
Jazz double bassist and pianist Charles Mingus is remembered for his stints with artists such as Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Dannie Richmond, and Herbie Hancock, and was named to the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. His scores and recordings are preserved in the Library of Congress.
 16 
Tyson Ritter
(Lead Singer and Bassist of The Alternative Rock Band 'The All-American Rejects')
Tyson Ritter
3
Birthdate: April 24, 1984
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 17 
Kathleen Hanna
(Singer)
Kathleen Hanna
5
Birthdate: November 12, 1968
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon, USA
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 18 
Phil Lesh
(Musician)
Phil Lesh
3
Birthdate: March 15, 1940
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Berkeley, California, United States
 19 
Tony Kanal
(Musician)
Tony Kanal
4
Birthdate: August 27, 1970
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kingsbury, London, England
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 20 
Carol Kaye
(Musician)
Carol Kaye
3
Birthdate: March 24, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Everett, Washington, USA
 21 
Tom Araya
(Vocalist and Bassist of American thrash metal band Slayer)
Tom Araya
3
Birthdate: June 6, 1961
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Viña del Mar, Chile
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 22 
Laura Jane Grace
(Musician)
Laura Jane Grace
3
Birthdate: November 8, 1980
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Fort Benning, Georgia, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 23 
Bruce Johnston
(Singer)
Bruce Johnston
3
Birthdate: June 27, 1942
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
 24 
Tony Levin
(American Musician and Composer)
Tony Levin
2
Birthdate: June 6, 1946
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Boston
 25 
James Jamerson
(Bass player)
James Jamerson
2
Birthdate: January 29, 1936
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Died: August 2, 1983
 26 
Ariel Pink
(Musician)
Ariel Pink
3
Birthdate: June 24, 1978
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
 27 
Shavo Odadjian
(Bassist, Musician, Guitarist)
Shavo Odadjian
3
Birthdate: April 22, 1974
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Yerevan
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 28 
Davey Havok
(Singer)
Davey Havok
3
Birthdate: November 20, 1975
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rochester, New York, USA
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 29 
John Corabi
(Singer)
John Corabi
3
Birthdate: April 26, 1959
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
 30 
Charlie Haden
(Musician)
Charlie Haden
2
Birthdate: August 6, 1937
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Shenandoah, Iowa Shenandoah, Iowa, U.S.
Died: July 11, 2014
 31 
DJ Quik
(Rapper)
DJ Quik
3
Birthdate: January 18, 1970
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Compton, California, USA
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 32 
Evan Seinfeld
(Musician)
Evan Seinfeld
3
Birthdate: December 29, 1967
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 33 
Lori Black
(Musician)
Lori Black
3
Birthdate: April 9, 1954
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States
 34 
Raphael Saadiq
(Singer)
Raphael Saadiq
3
Birthdate: May 14, 1966
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Oakland, California, USA
 35 
Mike Watt
(Bassist)
Mike Watt
2
Birthdate: December 20, 1957
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Portsmouth, Virginia, United States U.S.
 36 
Ron Carter
(Musician)
Ron Carter
2
Birthdate: May 4, 1937
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Ferndale, Michigan, U.S.
 37 
David Gates
(Singer-songwriter)
David Gates
3
Birthdate: December 11, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
 38 
Leland Sklar
(American Bassist and Session Musician)
Leland Sklar
3
Birthdate: May 28, 1947
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 39 
Jason Everman
(Musician)
Jason Everman
3
Birthdate: October 16, 1967
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ouzinkie, Alaska, United States
 40 
Nick Massi
(Bass Singer & Bass Guitarist for 'The Four Seasons')
Nick Massi
3
Birthdate: September 19, 1927
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: December 24, 2000
 41 
Stone Gossard
(Musician)
Stone Gossard
3
Birthdate: July 20, 1966
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, USA
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 42 
Reginald Arvizu
(Musician)
Reginald Arvizu
2
Birthdate: November 2, 1969
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Los Angeles County, California, US
 43 
Bill Black
(Musician)
Bill Black
2
Birthdate: September 17, 1926
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: October 21, 1965
 44 
Jeff Ament
(Musician)
Jeff Ament
2
Birthdate: March 10, 1963
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Havre, Montana, USA
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 45 
Mike Porcaro
(Bass Player Best Known as the Member of the Rock Band 'Toto')
Mike Porcaro
2
Birthdate: May 29, 1955
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: South Windsor, Connecticut, United States
Died: March 15, 2015

Mike Porcaro was an American bass player best remembered for his association with the popular rock band Toto. Porcaro's career was cut short by motor neuron disease as he was forced to retire from touring, in 2007. He died at the age of 59 from complications that stemmed up from motor neuron disease.

 46 
Kristen Pfaff
(Bassist)
Kristen Pfaff
2
Birthdate: May 26, 1967
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, United States
Died: June 16, 1994
 47 
John Rich
(Singer-songwriter)
John Rich
2
Birthdate: January 7, 1974
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Amarillo, Texas, USA
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 48 
Fat Mike
(Musician)
Fat Mike
3
Birthdate: January 31, 1967
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 49 
Jon B.
(Singer)
Jon B.
3
Birthdate: November 11, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA
 50 
Victor Wooten
(American Bassist, Songwriter and Record Producer)
Victor Wooten
3
Birthdate: September 11, 1964
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Mountain Home, Idaho, United States