Chuck Rainey

Charles Walter Rainey III (born June 17, 1940) 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.

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 bass guitar in the military.

After leaving the military, Rainey joined a local band.

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.

Although much of his work was as a session player, Rainey recorded a solo album, The Chuck Rainey Coalition, in 1969.

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.

He joined Quincy Jones's big band in 1972.

Other solo albums were Born Again (1982), Hangin' Out Right (1999), Sing & Dance (2001), and Interpretations of a Groove (2012).

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 working with Rhythm Intensive.

A Rainey signature line of bass guitars are 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.

With Alessi Brothers

With Louis Armstrong

With Gato Barbieri

With George Benson

With Delaney & Bonnie

With Donald Byrd

With David Castle

With Joe Cocker

With Larry Coryell

With The Crusaders

With King Curtis

With Aretha Franklin

With Gene Harris

With Richard "Groove" Holmes

With Bobbi Humphrey