Studio Musicians
Mike Finnigan was a leading Hammond B3 performer who recorded with many of the top performers in pop, rock, and jazz for nearly 60 years, although his soul had always been rooted in rhythm and blues. In the late 60s, he recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Joe Cocker. Up until the 2020s he toured and...
Abraham Laboriel has often been called the most recorded bass player of all time. Bass Player Magazine placed him on their top 50 bass players list and listed Abraham as having performed on over 4,000 records and soundtracks. Among the projects he spoke about during his NAMM interview were those...
Peter Sullivan grew up in a musical home with both his mother and father playing piano. Peter played piano, ukulele, as well as double bass as a youngster and became passionate about playing and teaching music. He developed into a well-respected studio musician and landed the job of Music Director...
Jerry Masters grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas where he heard his mother playing piano in church as far back as he can remember. After serving in the US Army, Jerry formed his own rock band and recorded the hit "Let It All Hang Out" while in Houston. He later moved to Memphis where he befriend Bill...
Spooner Oldham was a studio musician down in Muscle Shoals, Alabama before becoming a noted songwriter. Spooner's keyboard skills can be heard on such classic records as "You'd Better Move On" and several songs with Aretha Franklin including the Wurlitzer introduction on "Never Loved a Man the Way...
Larry Byrom recalls hearing Louis Armstrong as a young kid and wanting to play the trumpet, so he did for a few years. Then, he saw Chet Atkins on television and by 14 years old began playing the guitar. Just four years later he was performing in the rock band Steppenwolf! Larry became a sought-...
Wayne Moss is the Nashville studio musician who, in 1961, built the Cinderella Recording Studios. Since that time several top recordings were captured in the studio including those by artists Chet Atkins, Barefoot Jerry, Area Code 615, Mickey Newberry, and Jerry Reed. As a session player, Wayne is...
Buddy Spicher started playing the fiddle for $10 a night at local square dances, but also played some rhythm guitar to accompany his brother at performances. During his NAMM Oral History interview, Buddy tells of how he acquired his first violin, by trading his brother a Coca Cola for his brother’s...
Michael “Omar” Omartian recalled always having a fascination with music growing up and quickly got involved by taking drum, accordion, and piano lessons as a child. Omar had the opportunity to play keyboard on the first Loggins and Messina records, worked with Hal Blain of the Wrecking Crew, and...
Michael Spriggs is a session guitarist who got his start at the age of 14 when he joined “The Rogues”. In 1971 Michael moved to Nashville where he played with Eddie Rabbitt. With over 35 years as a session player, Michael has worked with the likes of Waylon Jennings, BB King, Elton John, and Dolly...