When you think about certain classic hits or artists

I never loved a man- Aretha

I’ll take you there – Staple Singers

Brown Sugar – Stones

Wilson Pickett – Mustang Sally

Paul Simon – Still Crazy

Etta James – Tell mama

When a man loves a woman – Percy Sledge

You think of the bass player at Muscle Shoals – David Hood

Or When you hear  James Taylor, Warren Zevon, Linda Ronstadt, Phil Collins, Lyle Lovett,  Jackson Browne, Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen and CSN and Youngyou think of that bass player – Leland Sklar.  Long white hair and beard.

They’ve never met or been interviewed together.  Until this Saturdays Stew.

Terry found both at the Vancouver Island Music Festival and turned complete fanboy.

Things they talked about

Difference between music’s crazy drummers and bass players.

“we’re the guys who hold the band together..even if the people around us don’t even know we do it.”  David

“we’re the glue.  The liaison between the melodic and rhythmic.”  Leland

Both talked about “how one bass note can change the character in a hit”

Both talked about Muscle Shoals, Booker T and Stax, The Wrecking Crew and the LA session cats.

Leland says of David  “David developed a style of music that defined a locale”

David says  “It’s not just me it’s the rest of the Muscle Shoals guys.  I just keep it simple”

Leland adds “ what’s the least I can do to make this work”

Leland describes being in the studio and putting on his headphones..what he hears is “Barbara Streisand singing in his ears with a full orchestra.”

And most interesting we ended up talking about Miles Davis and –  “the space between the notes”

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