Chuck Rainey


Charles Walter Rainey III is an American bass guitarist who has performed and recorded with many well-known acts, including Aretha Franklin, Steely Dan, and Quincy Jones. Rainey is credited for playing bass on more than 1,000 albums, and is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of recorded music.
WWW chuckrainey.com

Early life

Rainey was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 17, 1940, and grew up in Youngstown. His parents were both amateur pianists. He learned viola, piano, and trumpet as a child and majored in brass instruments in college. He attended Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. Rainey began playing guitar in the military.

Career

After college he played guitar in a local band but had difficulty with some of the guitar chords due to the large size of his hands. His drummer suggested that he might try playing a bass guitar instead. He was twenty-one years old when he first picked up a bass. His first big professional gig was playing with Big Jay McNeely. He then joined up with Sil Austin to tour Canada and New York. In 1962, Rainey joined King Curtis and his All-Star band; in 1965, they opened for The Beatles' 1965 US tour. He joined Quincy Jones's big band in 1972. By the 1970s he had played with Jerome Richardson, Grady Tate, Mose Allison, Gato Barbieri, Gene Ammons, as well as with Eddie Vinson at the 1971 Montreux Festival, and on five albums of Steely Dan.
Although much of his contributions was as a session player, Rainey recorded a solo album, The Chuck Rainey Coalition, in 1969. Other solo albums were Born Again, Hangin' Out Right, Sing & Dance, and Interpretations of a Groove.
Rainey wrote the five-volume Complete Electric Bass Player instructional books, and filmed instructional videos. The early bass curriculum at Musicians Institute and the Dick Grove School of Music were created by Rainey. He also wrote columns for Bass Player magazine from 1990–1992.
On November 5, 2011, Rainey had a stroke which paralyzed his left side. He spent four years receiving physical therapy and practicing meditation and Hatha yoga, and made a full recovery.
In 2014, Rainey and drummer John Anthony Martinez cofounded Rhythm Intensive, which provides clinics, workshops, and master classes for aspiring rhythm section musicians. Rainey and Martinez also co-authored The Tune of Success: Unmask Your Genius.
In an interview with Chris Jisi in April 2020, Rainey disclosed that he had retired as a bassist and turned his focus to writing his biography and leading Rhythm Intensive.
A Rainey signature line of bass guitars is produced by Alvarez Guitars and Ken Smith Basses.
Rainey received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music at a ceremony on May 7, 2022.

Discography

As leader

The Chuck Rainey Coalition Albino Gorilla Born Again Coolin' 'N Groovin' with Bernard Purdie Chuck Rainey/David T. Walker Band with David T. Walker Hangin' Out Right Sing & Dance
  • ''Interpretations of a Groove''

As guest

With Alessi BrothersDriftin
With Louis Armstrong
With Gato BarbieriEl Pampero The Legend of Gato Barbieri Bolivia The Third World Revisited
With George BensonGoodies
With Donald ByrdBlack Byrd Street Lady Places and Spaces Stepping into Tomorrow
With David CastleCastle in the Sky Love You Forever
With Ray CharlesA Message from the People
With Joe CockerI Can Stand a Little Rain Jamaica Say You Will Luxury You Can Afford
With Larry CoryellCoryell Fairyland Basics
With The CrusadersHollywood Crusaders 1 The Golden Years The Crusaders' Finest Hour
With King CurtisLive at Small's Paradise Get Ready Everybody's Talkin Instant Groove
With Delaney & BonnieD&B Together
With Cornell DupreeTeasin'
With Aretha FranklinYoung, Gifted and Black With Everything I Feel in Me Let Me in Your Life Sweet Passion
With Gene HarrisAstral Signal Nexus In a Special Way Tone Tantrum
With Richard "Groove" HolmesComin' on Home Six Million Dollar Man
With Bobbi HumphreyBlacks and Blues Satin Doll Fancy Dancer
With Etta JamesEtta James Come a Little Closer Etta Is Betta Than Evvah! Deep in the Night
With Quincy JonesWalking in Space Smackwater Jack You've Got It Bad Girl Body Heat Mellow Madness I Heard That!! Roots
With Ben E. KingWhat Is Soul
With Yusef LateefYusef Lateef's Detroit Suite 16 The Gentle Giant
With The McCrarysLoving is Living
With David "Fathead" NewmanBigger & Better The Many Facets of David Newman The Weapon Return to the Wide Open Spaces with Ellis Marsalis and Cornell Dupree
With The RascalsGroovin' Once Upon a Dream Freedom Suite See Peaceful World Search and Nearness
With Steely DanPretzel Logic Katy Lied The Royal Scam Aja Gaucho
With Sadao WatanabeMy Dear Life California Shower Nice Shot!
With Ernie WilkinsBlood, Sweat & Brass Hard Mother Blues Screaming Mothers
With Bobby WomackI Don't Know What the World Is Coming To
With others