The Backroom 5.07.24

Celebrating session musicians — the men and women who are mostly unsung (ha!) but essential to the songs we know and love.

  • Down in the Bottom — Walter Becker
  • Satellites — Rickie Lee Jones
  • Security Joan — Donald Fagen
  • Where’s Mantis Evar? — Monkey House (f. Drew Zingg)
  • Megashine City — Drew Zingg
  • Green Earrings — Steely Dan (f. Drew Zingg)
  • Chain Lightning — New York Rock and Soul Revue (f. Drew Zingg)
  • Why Can’t I Go Back — The Grodeck Whipperjenny
  • You Mother You — James Brown (f. Kenny Poole)
  • Home Brew — Arthur Adams (f. James Jamerson, Earl Palmer, Joe Sample)
  • Super Bad — James Brown (f. Catfish Collins)
  • Flashlight — Parliament (f. Catfish Collins)
  • The Drunk — James Brown (f. Catfish Collins)
  • Get On The Good Foot — James Brown (f. Cheese Martin)
  • What So Never the Dance — House Guests
  • Help Me, Rhonda — The Beach Boys
  • The Boots Are Made for Walking — Nancy Sinatra
  • (They Long To Be) Close to You — Carpenters
  • My Chevy Van — Sammy Johns
  • Stoned Soul Picnic — The 5th Dimension
  • Windy — The Association
  • Session Man — The Kinks (f. Nicky Hopkins)
  • Memphis Soul Stew — King Curtis
  • The Ballad of Paladin — Duane Eddy (f. Earl Palmer)
  • I Heard It Through the Grapevine — Gladys Knight & The Pips (f. James Jamerson)
  • The Happening — The Supremes (f. Hal Blaine)
  • California Dreaming’ — The Mamas and The Papas