Top 6 Session Musicians That Made Music History

Whether they're sweetening an album track, dubbing in the instrumental parts of a rock anthem, or producing sonic genius on demand, studio musicians are an integral part of music history.

Despite their vast contributions, many session players remain unsung heroes and rarely get credited for their work on classic albums. One of the most famous examples is the bassist Carol Kaye.

During the rock and roll boom of the 1960s, there was an unprecedented need for session musicians to flesh out popular recordings. Unlike earlier eras, where producers often relied on local bands to fill out sessions, most rock and pop artists of the time were solo acts. Record companies preferred hiring skilled professional musicians with various abilities to bring their songs to life in the studio quickly.

Hal Blaine was one of history's most accomplished and respected session drummers. He backed up Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Barbra Streisand and many others. He played on dozens of hit singles, including the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" and The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations."

You've heard Carol Kaye's bass on a record from the 1960s. From Phil Spector to the Beach Boys, from Nancy Sinatra to Joe Cocker, from Barbra Streisand to Sonny & Cher, she's laid down distinctive bass lines on scores of Top 10 hits and countless thousands of recordings.

Born in Everett, Washington, to musician parents Clyde and Dot Smith, she began playing professionally in 1949 and recording in the early 1960s. Initially a jazz guitarist, she eventually landed on the electric bass and quickly became one of LA's top session players.

In 1976, at nineteen, Lukather was invited by his high school friends David Paich and the Porcaro brothers to join them in forming their band Toto. He remained a member of the group throughout its history, in later years serving as its manager, musical director, and live emcee.

Although Toto enjoyed immediate success, Lukather still found time to record guitarist sessions with other artists such as Boz Scaggs, the Pointer Sisters, Leo Sayer, and Alice Cooper. His talents also extended beyond the rock realm, lending guitar talent to soul classics by Earth, Wind, and Fire.

He has since earned a reputation as one of the most sought-after session musicians in Los Angeles, playing with a wide range of artists from Aretha Franklin to Warren Zevon. His discography spans 36 years of music, and he has performed on over 1,500 records.

Tim Pierce, one of the most iconic guitarists of all time, has recorded with some of the world's biggest names. He has played on hits by Crowded House, Michael Jackson, Goo Goo Dolls, Christina Aguilera, and Seal, to name a few.

He's also a sought-after educator and creator of a popular subscription video series, Tim Pierce Guitar Masterclass. He's helped teach thousands of people how to play the guitar, and his YouTube channel has surpassed 100,000 subscribers.

Despite the many changes to the studio scene over the last 30 years, it's still home to some of the most talented musicians in the world. Even though many of them now do a lot of film and tv dates, they haven't lost their love of playing on records.

Joe Messina, 93, an original member of Motown's famous collective of session musicians, the Funk Brothers, has died. He died Monday, April 4, at his son's home in Northville, Michigan, after a 12-year battle with kidney disease.

Born in Detroit on December 13, 1928, Messina began playing the guitar early and dropped out of high school to pursue a career as a jazz guitarist. He performed with several jazz greats in the city's clubs and eventually joined the house band for comedian Soupy Sales' nightly TV show broadcast from a studio downtown.

He worked with Motown artists, including Dianna Ross and The Supremes, The Four Tops, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and many more. Typically sitting between fellow Funk Brothers guitarists Robert White and Eddie Willis, Messina was a skilled sight reader with a lithe funky touch on his custom guitar, a Fender Telecaster strung with heavy-gauge flat-wound strings.