Lee Sklar
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Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American
bassist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), keyboard bass (synth bass) or a low br ...
and
session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...
. He rose to prominence as a member of
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
's backing band, which coalesced into a group in its own right, The Section, which supported so many of
Asylum Records Asylum Records is an American record label, founded in 1971 by David Geffen and partner Elliot Roberts. It was taken over by Warner Communications (now the Warner Music Group) in 1972, and later merged with Elektra Records to become Elektra/As ...
' artists that they became known as Asylum's ''de facto''
house band A house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play at an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to bands which ...
, as those artists became iconic singer-songwriters of the 1970s. Sklar has recorded and toured with artists including James Taylor,
Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American rock musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 30 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he had his ...
,
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...
,
Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music. Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...
,
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
, Toto,
The Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts ...
and
Lyle Lovett Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957) Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American country singer and actor. Active since 1980, he has recorded 14 albums and released 25 singles to dat ...
. As a group member, session player, or touring musician, Sklar has appeared on over 2,000 albums, and contributed to many motion picture and
television show A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...
soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
s. Since 2018, he has been the bassist for The Immediate Family, a group reuniting lifelong friends and most of his former bandmates from The Section.


Early life

Leland Bruce Sklar was born May 28, 1947, in
Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, Wisconsin. His mother's family was from
Duluth Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...
, Minnesota. His father's family was from Milwaukee.''LELAND SKLAR - Legendary bassist''
The Sessions Panel. Youtube.com, Retrieved May 31, 2022.
Originally, the paternal side of the family came from
Odesa Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
, Ukraine.''878. Michael Ruff''
Youtube.com. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
Sklar is a Ukrainian surname meaning glazier, a person whose profession is fitting glass into windows and doors. When Leland was four, his family and he moved to
Van Nuys Van Nuys ( ) is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. History In 1 ...
, California, a central
San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...
neighborhood in the northwest section of metropolitan Los Angeles. At five, Sklar was inspired to take up classical piano from watching
Liberace Władziu Valentino Liberace (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) was an American pianist, singer and actor. He was born in Wisconsin to parents of Italian and Polish Americans, Polish origin and enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, ...
on TV. Sklar's mother already had a baby grand piano in the home. The Liberace Show completely captivated young Leland, Liberace's style and panache, the candelabra and his older brother George on the violin. Sklar started studying piano just after turning five years old. His natural talent and passion for the instrument saw him excel. By the time he was seven he had won awards from the Hollywood Bowl Association as the most accomplished young pianist in Los Angeles for his age group. By the time he was twelve, though, he was completely burned out. He had a piano teacher who he believes was living out her lack of a career through him. He entered junior high at
Birmingham High School Birmingham Community Charter High School (formerly Birmingham High School) is a charter high school in the neighborhood/district of Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was founded in 1953 ...
, a combined high school of grades 7–12, and was diverted from the crowded field of pianists by his orchestra teacher, Ted Lynn, to an old blonde Kay upright bass. Sklar took to it immediately and began playing string bass in the orchestra and dance band. In high school, Sklar was in the marching band and played bass drum for the first year. He then sought other options. Being a bass player, he was given three choices: the bass drum, Sousaphone or drum major. Sklar chose to become one of the dual drum majors.''A little behind in my TBT posts''
facebook.com. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
He was sent to Redlands University for a summer course in being a drum major and designing half time shows. He still has his baton.''919. Hoyt Axton revisit''
Youtube.com. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
Sklar graduated from Birmingham High School in 1965 and stopped shaving, the beginning of his iconic beard. After
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
hit, things changed dramatically. As soon as the guitar players and piano players got amplifiers, Sklar's upright bass couldn't compete with their volume. Across the street from the
American Federation of Musicians The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM/AFofM) is a 501(c)(5) trade union, labor union representing professional instrumental musicians in the United States and Canada. The AFM, which has its headquarters in N ...
Local 47 building in
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
is now a music store called Stein on Vine. It used to be under the Musicians Union when it was just the Stein Music Co. Sklar and his father went there and his father bought him a Melody bass and a St. George amp. The whole setup probably cost $80 at the time. Soon after that, Sklar was only getting calls for electric bass work. Between 1965 and 1970, Sklar attended San Fernando Valley State College. He began as a music major, but became disillusioned in the music department after two years when he realized the curriculum was geared more toward producing music teachers than towards performance. He went to the administration building and took a battery of aptitude tests and found his highest aptitudes were in art and science. As a result, he changed to co-majors in art and science with the thought of becoming a medical or technical illustrator. While at San Fernando Valley State, Sklar played in the orchestra. For the first two years, Sklar played in the string bass section, which consisted of himself and Daryl Dragon, who would later become the Captain of the
Captain & Tennille Captain & Tennille were an American recording duo whose primary success occurred in the 1970s. The husband-and-wife team were "Captain" Daryl Dragon (1942–2019) and Toni Tennille (born 1940). They have five albums certified gold or platinum a ...
. Also during this period, Sklar was in a band called Little John Farm with singer/guitarist Denny "Steve" Aaberg,
Dennis Dragon The Dennis Dragon (also sold as the Dennis Condor) is a three-axle step-entrance double-decker bus manufactured by Dennis in England between 1982 and 1999. History The Dennis Dragon was originally built for Kowloon Motor Bus. In Hong Kong t ...
on drums, and Doug Dragon on B3 organ. Dennis and Doug Dragon were Daryl's two brothers. Other classmates while attending San Fernando Valley State were saxophonist Tom Scott and actor/comedian
Cheech Marin Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin (born July 13, 1946) is an American comedian and actor. He gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s with Tommy Chong, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dom ...
. Sklar spent five years at San Fernando Valley State, but never graduated, because his own music career would intervene.''515. Vasco Rossi / Buoni O Cattivi''
Youtube.com. Retrieved May 8, 2022.


Career

In the 1960s, Sklar was in numerous bands, including Mike and the Mad Men, The Percolators, The Comfortable Charos, The Brimstones, and The El Dorados. Sometimes he was in five bands at one time, doing all kinds of music, trying to find himself. The Brimstones (1966) are of note because Sklar played together with guitarist
Dan Dugmore Dan Dugmore is an American session musician known primarily for playing the pedal steel guitar Born in 1949, Dugmore was raised in Pasadena, California. Influenced by the Flying Burrito Brothers, he learned to play steel guitar after Flying Bur ...
, his oldest friend in the music business. Sklar has commented that the music business is based on networking. He tried to meet as many people as possible, worked really hard, and hoped for the best. Two other bands from this period were important to his career: Group Therapy (1967) and Wolfgang (1969). In 1967, Group Therapy had been signed to the Canterbury label and went into United Studios in Hollywood to record. However, the young musicians were so inexperienced they weren't allowed to play their instruments. The band at the time consisted of David Finer (vocals and rhythm guitar) and Jeff Finer (vocals), Greg Wood (vocals), Lee Sklar (bass and vocals), and Ira Ingber (lead guitar - brother of
Elliot Ingber Elliot Ingber (August 24, 1941 – January 21, 2025) was an American guitarist, best known as a member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention (1965-66), founder of the Fraternity of Man (1968-69), and then a member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Ba ...
, a founding member of
The Mothers Of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as the Mothers) were an American rock music, rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an ...
and
Fraternity of Man The Fraternity of Man were an American blues rock and psychedelic rock group from the 1960s. They are most famous for their song "Don't Bogart Me" (a.k.a. "Don't Bogart That Joint"), which was released on LP in 1968, and subsequently used in th ...
). The group did do their own vocals, but the music was recorded by the legendary Wrecking Crew.
Carol Kaye Carol Kaye (née Smith; born March 24, 1935) is an American musician. She is one of the most prolific recorded bass guitarists in rock and pop music, playing on an estimated 10,000 recordings in a career spanning over 65 years. Kaye began play ...
and Bobby West were on bass,
Hal Blaine Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky; February 5, 1929 – March 11, 2019) was an American drummer and session musician, thought to be among the most recorded studio drummers in the music industry, claiming over 35,000 sessions and 6,000 singles. ...
was on drums, and Jim Gordon was the percussionist. Mike (Michel) Rubini,
Mike Melvoin Mike Melvoin (May 10, 1937February 22, 2012) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He served as chairman and president of The Recording Academy and worked as a prolific studio musician, recording with Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, ...
, and
Larry Knechtel Lawrence William Knechtel (August 4, 1940 – August 20, 2009) was an American keyboard player and bassist who was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of Los Angeles–based session musicians who worked with such renowned artists as Sim ...
were the keyboard players.
Mike Deasy Michael William Deasy (born February 4, 1941) is an American rock and jazz guitarist. As a session musician, he played on numerous hit singles and albums recorded in Los Angeles in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He is sometimes credited as Mike De ...
,
Dennis Budimir Dennis Matthew Budimir (June 20, 1938 – January 10, 2023) was an American jazz and rock guitarist. He was considered to be a member of the Wrecking Crew. Biography Budimir learned to play piano and guitar in his youth and first played profe ...
, Al Casey and
Tommy Tedesco Thomas Joseph Tedesco (July 3, 1930 – November 10, 1997) was an American guitarist and studio musician in Los Angeles and Hollywood. He was part of the loose collective of the area's leading session musicians later popularly known as The Wre ...
were on guitars. Sklar said he was intimidated by the skill of these players and didn't believe he could do what they did, but three and a half years later he was working with them every day. At least four tracks were cut, "Magic in the Air," "Bad News," "Little Bird," and "Million Dollar Movie". Test pressings were made of the latter two songs, but never released. A single of "Magic in the Air" as the A-side and "Bad News" as the B-side was released and broke into the
Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...
, affording Group Therapy the opportunity to open for
The Byrds The Byrds () were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) being the so ...
and
Canned Heat Canned Heat is an American blues rock band that was formed in Los Angeles in 1965. The group has been noted for its efforts to promote interest in blues music and its original artists. It was launched by two blues enthusiasts, Alan Wilson and ...
at the Anaheim Convention Center and for The Seeds at Cal State Northridge. The tracks were produced by
Mike Post Mike Post (born Leland Michael Postil; September 29, 1944) is an American composer, best known for his television theme music for various shows, including '' The White Shadow''; ''Law & Order''; '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''; ''The A-Tea ...
. It was through this connection that Sklar would later work with Post on every one of his TV shows:
The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner, aired on NBC from September 13, 1974, to January 10, 1980. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator Jim Rockford, with Noah Beery Jr. in th ...
, Magnum, P.I.,
Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the Metropolitan Police Department staff ...
,
The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American Action television, action television series that ran on NBC from January 23, 1983, to March 8, 1987, about a fictional team of former United States Army Special Forces who work as mercenaries while on the run from ...
, to name a few. In 1969, Sklar was the bass player for a hard rock band managed by Bill Graham called Wolfgang, consisting of
Bryn Haworth Bryn Haworth (born 29 July 1948) is a British Christian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pioneer of Jesus music in mainstream rock. Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, he has released some twenty-two albums and several singles since the ...
, Ricky Lancelotti, Kevin Kelley, Randy Zacuto and Warren 'Bugs' Pemberton. They opened for
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...
, but their only recordings were unreleased demo tracks. It was during this time Sklar met
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
. A friend of Wolfgang's drummer Bugs Pemberton, John Fischbach, co-owner of Crystal Sound on Vine Street in Hollywood, brought his friend James Taylor around to Wolfgang's rehearsal house in Sunland. Taylor spent a couple of days with the band. Later, Taylor was offered an appearance at the
Troubadour A troubadour (, ; ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female equivalent is usually called a ''trobairitz''. The tr ...
and, remembering Sklar, asked his manager
Peter Asher Peter Asher (born 22 June 1944) is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer. He came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the pop music vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a manager and re ...
to invite Sklar to play bass at that show. Both musicians thought the work would be short-term, but Taylor's career took off soon thereafter with his first hit record, Sweet Baby James. Sklar became part of Taylor's backing band, along with
Danny Kortchmar Daniel Kortchmar (born April 6, 1946), also known as Danny Kootch, is an American guitarist, session musician, producer and songwriter. His work with singer-songwriters such as Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, David Crosby, Carole King, David Cassi ...
,
Russ Kunkel Russell Kunkel (born September 27, 1948) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician with many popular artists, including Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Chapin, Rita Coolidge, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Cass Elliot, Dan Fo ...
, and
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...
, all joining Taylor in his rise to fame. Soon, with that exposure, Sklar was being asked to record with many other artists. Sklar has attributed the meteoric rise in his career, from an obscure local musician to a noted in-demand player, to producer/musician
Peter Asher Peter Asher (born 22 June 1944) is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer. He came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the pop music vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a manager and re ...
's insistence on crediting the musicians on the albums he produced. From his first recording with
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
on Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon in 1971, Sklar has said that many of the burgeoning singer/songwriters looked to the musicians who helped propel Taylor to fame as worth engaging for their own efforts. Asher's crediting practice also marked a profound transition from the relative obscurity of members of The Wrecking Crew era to the next generation of high profile, named performers. In the 1970s, Sklar worked together so frequently with drummer
Russ Kunkel Russell Kunkel (born September 27, 1948) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician with many popular artists, including Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Chapin, Rita Coolidge, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Cass Elliot, Dan Fo ...
, guitarist
Danny Kortchmar Daniel Kortchmar (born April 6, 1946), also known as Danny Kootch, is an American guitarist, session musician, producer and songwriter. His work with singer-songwriters such as Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, David Crosby, Carole King, David Cassi ...
, and keyboardist Craig Doerge, who replaced King after her own rise to stardom, that they became " The Section," a distinction Taylor had bestowed upon them as his rhythm section. They backed other artists, such as
Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American rock musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 30 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he had his ...
. The Section recorded three rock fusion albums of their own under that name, in 1972, 1973 and 1977. With little label support, however, The Section disbanded in 1978, in favor of more lucrative individual endeavors. In the 1980s, Sklar focused on session work in Los Angeles, Nashville, and Europe. However, with the advent of CDs and digital copying, album revenue dropped and session budgets shrank. Live performances and touring became more important to the music industry. Sklar worked on the
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
album '' No Jacket Required'' and toured as part of Collins' band on
The No Jacket Required World Tour The No Jacket Required World Tour was a concert tour by the English drummer, singer and songwriter Phil Collins, which occurred February–July 1985 in support of his 1985 album, '' No Jacket Required''. The album had been a massive internationa ...
from February through July 1985. Sklar worked again with Collins on the album '' ...But Seriously'' in 1989 and toured with the Seriously, Live! World Tour, which ran between February and October 1990, covering 121 dates. Sklar toured again with Collins on The First Final Farewell Tour (2004–2005) and the Not Dead Yet Tour (2017–2019). In 1993 while recording at The SiteThe Site
Jon Hammond. Youtube.com, Retrieved April 20, 2022.
in Marin County on what would become
Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music. Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...
's album ''
Winter Light ''Winter Light'' () is a 1963 Swedish tragedy film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring his regulars, Gunnar Björnstrand, Ingrid Thulin and Max von Sydow. It follows Tomas Ericsson (Björnstrand), pastor of a small rural Swedish ...
'', Sklar got a phone call from Michael Frondelli, who ran Capitol Records Studios and was producing a band, the Barefoot Servants. They were looking for a bass player and asked if he was interested. Frondelli sent Sklar a demo cassette and, after three notes, Sklar said "count me in". Sklar had never met the three other seasoned musicians before: Jon Butcher (guitar, vocals), Ben Schultz (guitar, mandolin, slide guitar), and Ray Brinker (drums, percussion). The foursome rehearsed and cut the first, self-titled album, Barefoot Servants, live in the studio. The band followed by going on The Southern Spirit Tour in 1994 with
The Marshall Tucker Band The Marshall Tucker Band is an American rock band from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Noted for incorporating blues, country and jazz into an eclectic sound, the Marshall Tucker Band helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s. Wh ...
,
38 Special 38 Special or 0.38 Special or .38 Special, may refer to: * .38 Special, a revolver cartridge Music * 38 Special (band), an American rock band ** ''38 Special'' (album), the 1977 debut album of the band 38 Special * .38 Special (song), a 2022 ...
,
The Fabulous Thunderbirds The Fabulous Thunderbirds is an American blues rock band formed in 1974. Singer Kim Wilson is the only constant member through the band's entire history. Their 1986 album ''Tuff Enuff'' sold over a million copies, and spawned two minor hit singl ...
, and the Outlaws. They called it Bubbapolooza. Over time, the Barefoot Servants became a cult band; the label (
Epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...
) offered little support. Eleven years after their first album, the Barefoot Servants recorded a second album at Ben Schultz's home studio, this time with Neal Wilkinson on drums. They called it Barefoot Servants 2, reminiscent of the line from the
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
song ''
All Along the Watchtower "All Along the Watchtower" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his eighth studio album, '' John Wesley Harding'' (1967). The song was written by Dylan and produced by Bob Johnston. The song's lyrics, which in its original v ...
''. (Jon Butcher is a great admirer of
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
.) The album was released in August 2005 on the Atom Records label.''87. Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville / Don't Know Much''
Youtube.com. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
Sklar performed again with James Taylor, Carole King, Danny Kortchmar and Russ Kunkel in a series of six shows at the
Troubadour A troubadour (, ; ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female equivalent is usually called a ''trobairitz''. The tr ...
on November 28–30, 2007 for the 50th Anniversary of the club. They all teamed up again for the
Troubadour Reunion Tour The Troubadour Reunion Tour was a 2010 international concert tour by Carole King and James Taylor. It celebrated the 40th anniversary of their first performance together at The Troubadour (Los Angeles), The Troubadour in November 1970, and was a ...
in 2010. Sklar did the Falling In Between Tour with Toto in 2007–2008, filling in for his friend
Mike Porcaro Michael Joseph Porcaro (May 29, 1955 – March 15, 2015) was an American bass player known for his work with the rock band Toto. He retired from touring in 2007 as a result of being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was t ...
, who was stricken with
ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...
. Sklar united again with Toto in 2016–2017 on the Toto XIV Tour. Sklar has also toured with
Lyle Lovett Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957) Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American country singer and actor. Active since 1980, he has recorded 14 albums and released 25 singles to dat ...
,
Peter Asher Peter Asher (born 22 June 1944) is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer. He came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the pop music vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a manager and re ...
, Véronique Sanson,
Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, widely known for her hit singles " Fast Car" (1988) and " Give Me One Reason" (1995). She was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she rel ...
,
Van Dyke Parks Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, arranger, record producer, singer, and former Warner Bros. Records executive whose work encompasses orchestral pop, elaborate recording experiments, Ame ...
, and
Judith Owen Judith Owen (born 2 January 1969) is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her first album, ''Emotions on a Postcard'', was released in 1996 and has been followed by several more. She is co-founder of Twanky Records with her husband, Harry Shearer. Life ...
, among others. In 2018, reuniting several members of The Section, a new group was formed, The Immediate Family, with Leland Sklar on bass,
Russ Kunkel Russell Kunkel (born September 27, 1948) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician with many popular artists, including Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Chapin, Rita Coolidge, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Cass Elliot, Dan Fo ...
on drums,
Danny Kortchmar Daniel Kortchmar (born April 6, 1946), also known as Danny Kootch, is an American guitarist, session musician, producer and songwriter. His work with singer-songwriters such as Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, David Crosby, Carole King, David Cassi ...
and
Waddy Wachtel Robert "Waddy" Wachtel (born May 24, 1947) is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work. Wachtel has worked as session musician for other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Beth Hart, Stevie Nicks, Miranda ...
on guitars and vocals, and musician/producer Steve Postell on vocals and guitar. The group has toured Japan and released a number of recordings. Their first, eponymously titled, U.S. album, The Immediate Family, was released in 2021. A brief tour of select cities in the U.S. was conducted in November 2021.''775. Danibelle Hall''
Youtube.com. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
''756. Steven Kowalczyk''
Youtube.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
In 2020, while idled by the COVID pandemic, Sklar started a YouTube channel, initially to demonstrate the bass parts to a few of the songs he'd played on tour with
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
, but which grew exponentially into a journey of music appreciation and an exploration of his expansive career. Sklar also created a coffee table book, ''Everybody Loves Me'', of approximately 6000 photos from a collection of over 12,000 images of celebrities and common folk giving him "
the finger "The finger", or the middle finger (as in giving someone the (middle) finger, flipping the bird or flipping someone off) is an obscene hand gesture. The gesture communicates moderate to extreme contempt, and is roughly equivalent in meaning t ...
," which has become his signature gesture.''37. The FINGER - An explanation!!!!!🖕''
Youtube.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
A website to service his book, art prints, T-shirts and other merchandise was developed. He created a web presence for social interaction called Lee's Clubhouse.''137. Lee's Clubhouse''
Youtube.com. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
Sklar has also explored the
NFT A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that is recorded on a blockchain and is used to certify ownership and authenticity. It cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided. The ownership of an NFT is recorded in the blockchai ...
market with another web site. On May 6, 2020, Sklar created a Top Ten list of his favorite songs of all time for
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...
. They were ''
With A Little Help From My Friends "With a Little Help from My Friends" is a song recorded by English rock band the Beatles for their 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. It was written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and is sung by drummer Ringo Starr (a ...
'' performed by
Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright ...
, ''
Back in the High Life Again "Back in the High Life Again" is a song with music by English artist Steve Winwood and lyrics by American songwriter Will Jennings. It was performed by Winwood, and included backing vocals by James Taylor and a prominent mandolin played by Winwo ...
'' by
Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a guitarist, keyboard player, and vocalist prominent for his dis ...
, '' Millworker'' by
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
, '' The Lark Ascending'' by
Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...
, '' The Rubberband Man'' by The Spinners, the title track from the album '' No Other'' by
Gene Clark Harold Eugene Clark (November 17, 1944 – May 24, 1991) was an American singer-songwriter and founding member of the folk rock band the Byrds. He was the Byrds' principal songwriter between 1964 and early 1966, writing most of the band's best ...
, '' Knock On Wood'' by
Eddie Floyd Eddie Lee Floyd (born June 25, 1937) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter, best known for his work on the Stax record label in the 1960s and 1970s, including the No. 1 R&B hit song " Knock on Wood". Early life and education Floy ...
, '' Behind The Lines - 2015 Remastered'' by
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
, ''
Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" is a song, written by Curtis Mayfield. Overview The first recording to be released was by Major Lance, as a single in December 1963, produced by Okeh label president Carl Davis. Chart performance The song was Major L ...
'' by
Major Lance Major Lance (April 4, 1939, – September 3, 1994) was an American R&B singer. After a number of US hits in the 1960s, including " The Monkey Time" and "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um", he became an iconic figure in Britain in the 1970s among foll ...
, and ''
Harlem Shuffle "Harlem Shuffle" is an R&B song written and originally recorded by the duo Bob & Earl in 1963. The song describes a dance called the “Harlem Shuffle”, and mentions several other contemporary dances of the early 1960s, including the Monke ...
'' by
Bob & Earl Bob & Earl were an American music singing duo in the 1960s, best known for writing and recording the original version of "Harlem Shuffle". Career The original duo were Bobby Day (born Robert James Byrd) and Earl Nelson. They had both been mem ...
. Sklar has stated that his favorite bassist was Rinat Ibragimov, formerly of the
London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
. Sklar has also been a part of the annual bands assembled in support of the "We Write The Songs"Write the Songs: Celebrating the ASCAP Collection''
Youtube.com. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
event sponsored by
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadc ...
at the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
in Washington, D.C., and the pre-show for the
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
.''922. Acknowledging the Grammy Band.''
Youtube.com. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
On January 2, 2022, Sklar was seen performing in concert with James Taylor and Carole King in the CNN documentary "Just Call Out My Name."


Equipment


Basses


Peace/Love

When Sklar gained notice in 1970, he was playing a 1962
Fender Jazz Bass The Fender Jazz Bass (often shortened to "J-Bass") is the second model of Bass guitar, electric bass guitar created by Leo Fender. It is distinct from the Fender Precision Bass, Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midra ...
, his first professional bass, which he carved up with the artistic flair of the time. He calls it his Peace/Love bass. He played the bass on
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
's '' One Man Dog'', on the early Section albums, and on
Billy Cobham William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a Panamanian–American jazz drummer who came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He was inducted into the '' Mode ...
's ''
Spectrum A spectrum (: spectra or spectrums) is a set of related ideas, objects, or properties whose features overlap such that they blend to form a continuum. The word ''spectrum'' was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of co ...
''. He played it exclusively until 1974.''27. More Gear''
Youtube.com. Retrieved April 13, 2020.


Frankenstein

Sklar's favorite instrument came next, an electric bass constructed by John Carruthers, the repairman at Westwood Music, in 1973. It was customized from various bass parts, consisting of a 1962
Fender Precision Bass The Fender Precision Bass (or "P-Bass") is a model of bass guitar, electric bass guitar manufactured by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. In its standard, post-1957 configuration, the Precision Bass is a solid body, four-stringed instrument ...
neck, reshaped to the profile of Sklar's 1962
Fender Jazz Bass The Fender Jazz Bass (often shortened to "J-Bass") is the second model of Bass guitar, electric bass guitar created by Leo Fender. It is distinct from the Fender Precision Bass, Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midra ...
neck and fitted with
mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...
fret wire, the smallest available (and on all of his subsequent basses), an alder Charvel P-Bass body with two sets of first-generation EMG Precision Bass pickups in reversed orientation, routed into J-Bass positions, and power by a 9 volt battery each, a Badass II bridge, and a prototype Hipshot detuner. He refers to it as "Frankenstein". The bass has been used on roughly 85 percent of his recordings.''26. My Gear''
Youtube.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.


Dingwall

In 2004, Sklar began playing a signature model five-string bass made by Dingwall Guitars. This was his main bass on tour and was also used in various recordings. The bass uses fanned frets, which result in longer low strings and shorter high strings.


Warwick

In 2010, Sklar began playing the
Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined wit ...
Star Bass II, which has since become his main bass in the studio. In 2013, after years of having been a Warwick Star Bass II player, he became an endorser of that instrument. At the 2016
NAMM Show The NAMM Show is an annual trade show in the United States organized by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), which describes it as "the industry’s largest stage, uniting the global music, sound and entertainment technology commun ...
, Warwick announced their Lee Sklar signature bass, based on the Star Bass but with an offset body shape and a forearm contour.


Others

Previously, Sklar also had signature instruments from Gibson and Valley Arts Guitar. Sklar owns a Washburn AB45 five string acoustic bass which he was not pleased with until he removed the frets, making it a fretless bass. He said, then, "It came alive." He uses black nylon tape wound strings on the Washburn. In his work, he uses fretless sparingly. Sklar owns a
Höfner Karl Höfner GmbH & Co. KG is a German (originally Austro-Bohemian) manufacturer of musical instruments, with one division that manufactures guitars and basses, and another that manufactures other string instruments, such as violins, violas, ce ...
bass he uses only as the song demands. Sklar had an
Alembic An alembic (from , originating from , 'cup, beaker') is an alchemical still consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, used for distillation of liquids. Description The complete distilling apparatus consists of three parts: * the "" ...
bass which he sold to
John Entwistle John Alec Entwistle (9 October 194427 June 2002) was an English musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the rock band the Who. Entwistle's music career spanned over four decades. Nicknamed "The Ox" and "Thunderfingers", he was the band ...
of
The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
. Sklar also used various Yamaha basses, such as the BB series, most noticeably around the time of
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
's '' JT'' album.


Strings

Sklar uses GHS Super Steel medium light strings: .040, .058, .080, and .102 inches in diameter. He likes a .040 G-string for its flexibility, facilitating expressive playing. His Dingwall bass has Dingwall strings, with a GHS .040 G-string. On his five string basses, he use GHS Super Steels: .040, .058, .080, .100 and .130 gauge. He uses nylon taped strings on the Washburn. On the recording sessions for the album ''Framed'' by Dave Lambert (of the
Strawbs The Strawbs are an English rock band founded in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys. The band started out as a bluegrass group, but eventually moved on to other styles such as folk rock and progressive rock. They are best known for their hi ...
) in 1979, Sklar shared bass duties on the project with
John Entwistle John Alec Entwistle (9 October 194427 June 2002) was an English musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the rock band the Who. Entwistle's music career spanned over four decades. Nicknamed "The Ox" and "Thunderfingers", he was the band ...
of
The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
. At one point, the men tried out each others' basses and found they were nearly unable to play the other's instrument: Sklar set his
action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...
very high and Entwistle set his very low.


Amplification

Sklar keeps his amplification implementations simple and adaptable. He has three basic Euphonic Audio amp set ups for three specific applications: studio, intimate settings, and larger stage situations. Sklar has been using EA amplification roughly since 2003.


Studio set up

Sklar's studio rig is a Euphonic Audio iAMP 800 combo (all-in-one) amp.


Intimate set up

For intimate settings, Sklar uses a Euphonic Audio Doubler amp with an EA cabinet with a single 10" speaker in it (Euphonic Audio Wizzy-110). This is the rig he has used when playing with
Judith Owen Judith Owen (born 2 January 1969) is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her first album, ''Emotions on a Postcard'', was released in 1996 and has been followed by several more. She is co-founder of Twanky Records with her husband, Harry Shearer. Life ...
.


Stage set up

For larger stage venues, Sklar uses an EA iAMP Classic and an EA iAMP Pro for redundancy with a four 10" speaker bottom (Euphonic Audio NL-410W) and optionally attached to that is a Euphonic single 12" speaker cabinet (Euphonic Audio NL-112) with a Yamaha Subkick placed 1/2" in front of it. He blends the signal from a DI (direct input) and the Subkick. This is the rig he used when playing with
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
,
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
and
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...
, Toto, and with The Immediate Family. When playing with
Lyle Lovett Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957) Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American country singer and actor. Active since 1980, he has recorded 14 albums and released 25 singles to dat ...
, the 12" cabinet and Subkick were omitted.''1018. Cedar Rapids, Iowa gig..''
Youtube.com. Retrieved July 10, 2022.


Accessories

Sklar has
Moog Taurus The Moog Taurus is a foot-operated analog synthesizer designed and manufactured by Moog Music. It was originally conceived as a part of the Constellation series of synthesizers. The initial Taurus I was manufactured from 1975 to 1981; a less pop ...
pedals and Fast Forward Designs Midi Step pedals which he used on the
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
song ''
In the Air Tonight "In the Air Tonight" is the debut solo single by English drummer and singer-songwriter Phil Collins. It was released as the lead single from Collins's debut solo album, ''Face Value (album), Face Value'', in January 1981. It was selected as the s ...
''. Sklar uses Cordial cables, a Tube Works DI (direct input) box, and a
Boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...
OC-2 Octave divider. He is known to have used a Petersen tuner, as well as a TC Electronics "polytune" which he has said is incredibly accurate and unobtrusive.''747. Loey Nelson''
Youtube.com. Retrieved October 25, 2021.


Discography


Selected film appearances

* '' Rhinestone'' (Actor: Rhinestone House Band, as Lee Sklar) — (1984) * '' Ticker'' (Actor: Blues Band Bass) — (2001)


References


External links


Leland Sklar's YouTube ChannelLeland Sklar's websiteLeland Sklar's social networkLeland Sklar's NFT websiteLee Sklar Reflects on his CareerInterview: bass legend Leland Sklar on sessions, gear and getting hiredLee Sklar on ON THE HIT with DEANE OGDEN podcast, April 2, 20142014 Audio Interview with Lee Sklar from the I'd Hit That Podcast
* interview by Mike Visceglia
Bass Routes - A Leland Sklar Discography BlogReggie Boyle talking with Lee Sklar!
Steve Lukather Steven Lee "Luke" Lukather (born October 21, 1957) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer, best known as the sole continuous founding member of the rock band Toto. His reputation as a skilled guitarist led to ...
site * *
Leland Sklar Interview
at NAMM Oral History Collection (2010) {{DEFAULTSORT:Sklar, Leland 1947 births Living people Musicians from Milwaukee California State University, Northridge alumni American country bass guitarists American male bass guitarists American rock bass guitarists American session musicians Guitarists from Wisconsin Hall & Oates members Mexican-guitarron players 20th-century American bass guitarists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American bass guitarists 21st-century American male musicians