More Barry Beckett
I’m very saddened to hear about Barry Beckett’s passing. He played organ and keyboards on my very first LP "I’m Just A Prisoner" for Rick Hall’s Fame label in 1969. A lot of people give Rick credit for the Muscle Shoals southern soul sound and he deserves it. But, Barry also deserves a lot of that credit because Rick picked him and Eddie Hinton, David Hood and the rest of those guys to help create and establish that sound.I got to see Barry again back in 2005. After being away from R&B music for over 20 years, Honest Jons label in London got me in the studio to record "His Hands" at Mark Nevers’ Beech House studio in Nashville. Mark thought it would be cool to get some of the people who played on my first album and he reached out to Barry and he came and we had a nice reunion. It was so good to see him again. He was walking really slow but once he stood at that organ, no one could out run him. His fingers were as nimble and fluent as they ever were. He was a special man and I loved the sounds he made.
One day during a recording break on "His Hands", Chip Young, who had played guitar with Elvis and and so many others, and I sat on the swing as Barry and Chip were trading war stories. I’ll never forget that day.
Candi Staton
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Jeez
Ya left out Beckett’s electric piano on Dylan’s "You Gotta Serve Somebody" and fearful, you might have missed it, I am enclosing one of the HEADFUCKS of ALL TIME – Don Covay’s reggae take on Chuck Berry’s "Memphis" one of Muscle Shoals greatest exports featuring Barry’s wonderfullness.
Al Kooper
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I made my second album in Muscle Shoals with Beckett and the Rhythm Section. It was an eye opening experience, I was really just a kid. He was great to me, they all were. I met him again many years later when I lived and worked in Nashville, and we were always happy to see one another.
I am so sorry to hear of his passing. He was a giant talent, quiet and brilliant, and a very good man.
So sorry.Wendy Waldman
P.S. he was only 66. wow.
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When I was about 20 years old I met this drummer, Mark. I was trying to put together a band and we got together to ‘jam’. We met at his old man’s house to play in some underground basement like kids do. We played a few things. New songs, old songs. Good covers, bad covers, etc. About 30 minutes in we tried an original that I’d written. We finished, the door opens and it’s Barry Beckett.
Shit Mark’s last name is…… Beckett….. his DAD is Barry Beckett, didn’t put that together. Sorry, I was 20! Anyhow, he said, "What was that?" I gave him the title. He said, "Did you write that?" "Yes sir." A sly, semi-approving grin and then, "Pretty good. Keep it up." Â
It felt like high praise to me at the time. Mark and I never started a band. I’ve seen him again off and on over the years. To he and his whole family my most sincere condolences.Will Hoge
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I had the pleasure of working with Barry Beckett in 1978 while playing sax with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. We went to Muscle Shoals to record the album, "The Jukes", and I’ll never forget the feeling of awe I had during those sessions. Beckett was warm, enthusiastic but, as he should have been, unsparing in his desire to get the best performances out of us. Sadly, I never worked with him again. What an amazing musician.
Stan Harrison
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Barry and I decided we were going to make an album with Lonnie Mack somewhere back in the ’80’s. Barry’s first order of business was to spend several hours discussing EXACTLY how far behind the beat the kick drum should be in order to create maximum grease in the pocket. What a great lesson in priorities. God bless him.
Larry Hamby
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Bob, Sad to read this news! Barry Beckett was the absolute best!!!! A very nice guy to boot. He produced "Gotta serve somebody" if my memory serves me well. Sad. He was a one of a kind genius.
Are you aware that a great and generous guy in Nashville named Joe Chambers has made a "Musicians Hall of Fame" to honor the great unheralded studio players. It’s a block from the country Music Hall of fame here in Nashville. He’s spent a fortune to honor the session players who’ve for the most part been ignored. It’s fabulous! Not to be missed. I can put you in touch with Joe if you’d like. You’ll love the whole deal. Henry (Gross)
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Barry Beckett was once very nice to me, when he didn’t have to be. I was the new kid at Warner Bros. in Burbank, a lowly creative services writer, and they sent me to Nashville because I was from Texas and they thought I’d dig the division. It was in an old home for unwed mothers near Music Row. Cool, with an Austin vibe. But I wandered around the building and didn’t know anyone. I came across Beckett, who invited me into his office and asked me what I did. We started talking about music, and he quickly discovered not only was I a huge soul music fan, I knew all his playing. But that didn’t matter to him, really. He just liked to talk about singers and songwriters and what was going on in music. It was 1986, and he made a very observant comment: he said the next ten years were going to see who kept growing: George Strait or Randy Travis. Well, we know who won that race, but Barry was talking about how each would be challenged with material and players and how they really defined themselves. Barry Beckett was one of the greatest keyboard players who ever lived, but even more he was an elegant and intelligent man who was nice to strangers. That’s what made him truly great.
Bill Bentley
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In late 1980 I took my first trip to Muscle Shoals to meet Barry and plug songs for his upcoming Delbert McClinton session.
I will never forget the hospitality shown me by Barry and his entire staff, family, and friends.
Unlike L.A., where I was living and working at the time, everyone in Muscle Shoals opened their doors, and invited me in.
It was at Halloween and Barry invited me to come to his home for a costume party. I’ll never forget when I arrived at his spectacular home a beautiful woman with Dolly Parton size breasts, whom I had never met, approached me and asked me to dance. In the middle of a slow dance she reaches down and pulls two balloons out of here top and says to me, "now, isn’t that better?" The beautiful woman was of course Barry’s wife, Diane. Barry definitely met his match with Diane. Barry, Diane, and their son Mathew, all had a way of making you feel right at home. In later years I had the great opportunity of working with Barry at Warner Bros. Nashville. Barry produced a young singer/songwriter I was working with at the time by the name of Pam Tillis. If you ever get a chance to hear the first single release that Barry produced on Pam at WB’s it is a knock-out "One Of Those Things".
I have had many exciting and wonderful music business experiences over the past 30 odd years but getting to know Barry and his sweet family rank right at the top.
My heart goes out to you Barry, Diane, and Mathew.
Your pal,
Randy Talmadge___________________________________
Hi Bob,
My very first day in the studio as a greenhorn was at Criteria in Miami, circa 1974. I was the gopher on a Paul Stookey record, and Barry Beckett was arranging and more or less conducting the string section. Everybody took a break after they nailed the take and the double track. I remained in the control room with Barry. I looked at him and said, "Wow, that guy’s really good." Meaning the artist.
Barry looked at me and responded, "You have no idea who that GUY is, do you?" I knew who Peter Paul and Mary were, but never knew Paul by his last name.
Ten years ago, I met with Barry while in Nashville. It was the first time we’d seen each other since that day in 1974. He was old and somewhat shakey. I reminded him of our first meeting, and he said, "I’m surprised you’re still in the business. You weren’t smart enough to bullshit me back then, and you were dumb enough to remind me of it today…. actually, you might be PERFECT for the music business!"
He roared with laughter, tapped me on the head with his cane, gave me a little wink and hobbled away.
Long may you run Barry,
Michael Laskow
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You are absolutely right that this is one of the best albums ever, and Barry Beckett’s contribution was enormous.
I consider this to be Phil Ramone’s classic as well. The sounds, textures, balances, and arrangements are all exquisite. Listen to it with headphones and your eyes closed. The way he mixes, he identifies the one moment where an instrument is at it’s most interesting, and then pushes it in the mix. The result is a feeling like the parts are randomly but majestically exploding like fireworks.
Barry Beckett is truly great. So is Paul Simon. A room full of greatness orchestrated by one of the top producers of all time. No wonder it’s a classic.
Michael McCarty
President
EMI Music Publishing Canada___________________________________
Barry Beckett…the first impression could be of this giant of a muso with the reputation to dwarf anyone – Dylan’s first Grammy, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, Traffic, Delbert McClinton, Kenny Chesney, Hank Jr,..oh uh…gruff, intimidating, large……but then…the twinkle in those blue eyes, that sardonic grin…and you were swept away by his quiet magnetism, his eternal love of music and you were comforted and assured by his deep knowledge of how a studio "works" and how a musician feels…that was Barry Beckett the producer…Barry the player? ..books will be written, stories will be told about that undefinable groove and magic that he brought to every song he played on.
I worked with him several times…once with a very well known band from Europe. They came to Nashville to record an album. After the first studio meeting..not session…he took me aside and said, "we can do this two ways. 1, they can play on the album…it’ll take weeks and it’ll sound like shit…2, they can sing and I’ll get the players. It’ll take a few days and it’ll sound like a real record"
Initially the band – who had been together for years and had many platinum records etc, were a little put out…so Barry said, "OK, you guys try..and then let me try my way". So they did. They did try…and this wasn’t a country record
Barry played keys and booked the most suitable Nashville studio players for that particular sound he was going for…The band did all the vocals and harmonies.
It took a few days, the band had the most incredible fun in the studio, made a huge selling album, made life long friends with Barry   and it sounded like a real record..
Barry was generous, humorous, curious, particular, warm.and frighteningly groovy.
We lost a great one on Wednesday….and Heaven got a great player with impeccable taste.
RIP.
Paul Zamek.
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Don’t forget Mavis Staples calling Barry’s name on "I’ll Take You There," too.
Richard Pachter
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I’m a lifelong Nashvillian you’ve never heard of. About four or five years ago, I worked at a small talent agency/management company that had an all girl band trying to get a deal.  Barry was producing the demos. This was before he was in a wheelchair full time. I remember how arduous it was watching him go from his PT Cruiser to the office.
A guy with his kind of accomplishment in this modern music world would bury you in a narcissitic frenzy. I knew some of the things he did, but unfortunately his obituary opened up my eyes even farther. He didn’t know me from Adam’s housecat, but looking back I am stunned at how unassuming he was. In a PR driven world where shoplifters become gangsters to pump up their street cred, it’s nice to remember that talent brings it’s own credibility.
Thank you,
Scott Hogue
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It was 1974 and my band was at RCA studio D in NY doing a demo for one of the RCA A&R guys…We were having all kinds of problems on 2 of our songs as we need piano for the song to sound correct and we did not have a piano player….We didn’t know what to do when out of nowhere a voice came from the control room in a southern twang, " you boys look like you could use a hand, I will be glad to take a shot for you, How bout it" we didn’t have any idea who it was but we needed help so we said yes…When the A&R guy introduced us to him and we found out it was Barry Beckett we freaked as we totally knew who he was and what Muscle Shoals was all about..My God he had played on some of our favorite records and he was willing to sit in with us on our demo….We only had the studio for 2 more hours but Barry pulled the A&R guy out of earshot and when he came back we were told we could stay until we were satisfied we did the best demo we could….Needless to say we did not get signed but I will never forget what a gentleman he was and later when I ran into him numerous times in Nashville I would always thank him for that day and he would smile and say" nothin to it buddy""Glad I could help"….R.I.P. Barry…There aren’t many more like you around…
Al Marks
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Right on again, Mr Bob
Charlie Gillett
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bob, this is beautiful.
barry and i were in leadership music together in 2000. he was a giant of a man with a sweet, gentle spirit. we talked for hours about all those sessions. the record he did with delbert mcclinton is still one of my favorites. his son mark is now playing drums on the grand ole opry. he was really proud. he used to share his love of model trains with my kids. god bless you for this wonderful, insightful eulogy.
billyBilly Block
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Bob – Alongside the industry facts that make Barry a giant and a legend, I want to share my memory of him as a generous teacher. Years ago, he brought me to MS to play guitar on an album project. I was young, and, as became clear to me after one day with the MS guys, inexperienced. Barry could have given me the "Look, it’s just not working" speech. But, each evening, hanging out in the Beckett kitchen, he would find ways to encourage and school me in how to raise my game. I remain grateful.
Dave Perkins
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Like you, I followed Barry’s career via liner notes but I met him once and was very impressed by him. I think it must have been at the time he was working at Warner Bros. in Nashville. A wonderful guy to talk music to.
And I have been to Muscle Shoals and my buddy Rodney Hall, Rick’s son, still runs the Fame Studio there and you can feel the magical presence of all of those early Swamper sessions there even though many of the players long migrated to Nashville where there was more work (some have drifted back into town). But the feel is still there.
I deeply mourn Barry’s passing.
Larry LeBlanc
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As former studio manager of Ocean Way Nashville, I had the honor and the pleasure to work with Barry on a few occasions in the studio. I can honestly say that Barry was the real deal. He demanded and nurtured the best from the people around him and it was all about how it moved him or made him feel. He produced and played keyboards from his soul, not from his head. He was a good man and truly one of the pioneers of our industry. He and his ability to create something amazing, brilliant and life changing out of an emotion will be sorely missed. Rest in peace Barry. Music Row will never be the same.
Sharon Corbitt-House
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Beckett on Communique: still my favorite Dire Straits album – the production on that captures an atmosphere that made me play it ad infinitum!
Neville Klotz
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I bought Etta James’ Seven Year Itch in the early 90s when I was about 22 years old – around the time when Muscle Shoals became the center of my music universe. I would pour over the credits, too, trying to learn about players and producers and such.
Barry Beckett produced that album. Check out her incredible take on "The Jealous Kind." I’ve been trying to do that version justice since then.
Thank you for recognizing Mr. Beckett today.
Kristi Johnston
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So sorry to hear that about Barry. He was a player’s player but also had the knowledge & understanding about the business to create a musical Mecca of "feel" & "grooves" in the middle of nowhere ( Muscle Shoals, Alabama) He was, ( and his rhythm section of players) for the most part the sound of Muscle Shoals. If you wanted that fat back beat, skanky, swampy groove, that could make U move, Muscle Shoals Sound had it goin’ on.
As a young session player, I transplanted myself from NY to Alabama in the late 70’s just to be part of that scene. I did the right thing. RIP BB.
Michael Panepento
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Amen Bob. Traffic on the Road was my first introduction to Traffic, and imagine my shock when I discovered that Barry Beckett and David Hood and Roger Hawkins were not regulars of the band and were not on the other more famous albums!
Doctor Alias
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RE: Re-Barry Beckett/Fire Inside
Bob :
So THAT’S Bobby Beckett, playing piano on the greatest song Springsteen never wrote and Roy Bittan never played on? Amazing work, on an amazing song. Talk about songs you wanna hear blasting out of your car stereo, windows rolled down, pedal to the metal, screaming down an open highway in the middle of the night.
Russ Novack
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Thank you for your great words about a great man-Barry. He was a gentle giant whom Mavis Staples urged to "play on it, play on it, play your piano" in I’ll Take You There. And another great record by Mel and Tim- Starting All Over Again- was co-produced by Barry and Roger Hawkins.__
I knew him well and saw him work with Wexler a lot. He will be greatly missed.__
Thanks again Bob,_
Charlie Feldman___________________________________
You’re wrong about the "was." He lives on in every "southern" or soulful musician, singer-songwriter…whether they knew him or not. The real music transcends anything as puny as death. John "hound" brown
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i worked with barry in nashville in the 1980’s.
thank you for bringing this legend to light.
miss you barry.
randy singer
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…he was a humble, lovable guy who just liked to play piano as part of the process…no ego….just "let’s go."
Mitchell Fox
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Bob,
I read your articles weekly, if not daily. Great stuff, and without blowing "smoke", I truly thank you for providing insight at a much-needed time in our business.
I especially thank you for giving honor and a tip of the cap to Barry
Beckett; I had the honor of spending some time with him while he was still with us, and he will be missed here in Nashville.Best regards,
George Ducas
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This is the first I’ve heard of Barry’s demise. Damn.
He was a monster player, but also a true gentleman. I facilitated his getting the production gig for Jason & The Scorchers when I was with A & M, and later had the pleasure of pitching songs to him on numerous occasions (one of which he actually cut). He was always gracious, funny, and willing to tell a good story.
We’ll miss him here on Music Row.Best,
Max Hutchinson
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Dear Bob,
Barry Beckett was my friend. Not a close friend, but as music publisher, he , being a record producer, always took my calls, told me what artists he was looking for, or what sessions were coming in to the studio. He always listned to the songs I sent him and he always told me the truth….If he hated a song, he told me, and if he liked it, he would file it away in his song file.
To me, he was always a straight shooter and he cut a lot of songs of mine with his artists. We last spoke a few years ago. We were both laughing at me giving up my carear to be a "house mom" to my daughter and about him producing country artists….Where life takes us is always a mystery. Yes, he was an incrediable talent, but to me he was always a great human being…one who left this place called earth, a much better place to be, simply because he was here!
R.I.P. Barry Beckett
Always and forever my friendStephen-Craig Aristei
Creative Talent Management
The Rights Company___________________________________
Very sad, and also sad that he might get more attention now than he did when he was alive.
Barry also produced Phish’s album, Rift, which might be their best studio album from beginning to end (in my opinion).
Marc Lawrence
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I loved his keyboard work with Bob Seger.That was the first I had heard of him.
On a "Against the Wind" the subtle touches that he added were just perfect,not a note out of place.
Thanks Barry R.I.P
And thanks Bob for reminding us of him and many others that we sometimes take for granted when listen to our favorite music.
Tino Perez
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In the early ’80s I went to Muscle Shoals to interview Barry Beckett for a British radio series. Fascinating as our conversation was for a fan of ’60s R&B like me, I remember thinking it wouldn’t make such ear-catching radio as a more excitable man exclaiming, "Wow, we really nailed it that night!" In spite of his crucial contribution to some of the greatest records ever made, what I got on tape was a working musician talking about his job with strikingly diffident modesty – a trait shared by just about every other Southern musician I was lucky enough to talk to.
Best
John Pidgeon___________________________________
He was a truly a good man. He loved music, made great records and treated people (particularly songwriters) with the respect they deserved. Although there are too many great performances to accurately pick a "best", I personally loved the piano on the end of "I Go Crazy" by Paul Davis. May a great man rest in peace and his family find comfort in this sad time.
Brian Rawlings___________________________________
Wait until well after midnight, turn off all the lights save one candle, pour a long pull of your favourite drink, turn the tuner up to 10 and drop the needle on "Loan Me A Dime" from Boz Scaggs’ 1st album recorded with Duane Allman and the Muscle Shoals house band. Boz dives to the depths of his soul, Duane reaches for the sky but the first thing you hear is Barry Beckett framing this piece with a keyboard riff that sets up one of Rock’s most emotive tracks.
Andrew Forsyth Â
___________________________________Barry Beckett will be remembered by all as one of the greatest "groovemeisters" of all time He once produced tracks to try to get me a deal on Warner Bros. He could dial in a feel for the track by the way he played time He cut slot of my songs through the years and I was always so proud, cause he honestly loved the music. I’ve already been missing seeing him anymore, I’m glad he’s free now as he was when he made music
Gary Nicholson
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Hi,Bob! I was so very happy that you led off your tribute to Barry Becket by mentioning his out-of this- world work on the wonderful Paul Simon track "One Man’s Ceiling".Many years ago,a sort of semi-supergroup lurked in these parts comprised of all the best players in town not otherwise occupied.For a spell this band worked the bar circuit here(I live in Winnipeg,Manitoba).For a time I found that if I hustled,I could wrap my gig up and get to a club to see Papa Pluto(featuring Kurt Winter of Guess Who fame on guitar),thrash out an insanely wonderful version of the Simon chestnut,featuring a young gentleman named Fred Redeckop on piano and vocals.Some nights I can still the shivers doen my spine recalling the song,the band,(to a man,they all deserved to go farther,can’t say enough about the talent level).Many years later,I found myself laid over in Florence,Alabama,and slipped over to Fame Studios for a look.During my time there I was fortunate enough to meet Barry,(and a couple of other local legends),And found him to be a genuine kind-hearted’down-to-earth guy.He clued me in on where to see some great live music and some of the very best bbq it’s ever been my privilige to overindulge in.There were giants in those days.Ernie B.
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TRIBUTE TO BARRY BECKETT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0dEwSYj_woJeffrey Ainis
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In late 1983, when Phil Ramone was asked by Ahmet Ertegun to produce John Lennon’s son, Julian, Phil was determined to make the best album possible. Phil knew it would be a daunting task with John Lennon having left us just a few years earlier, but he was of the firm belief he could do it. (And if you know Phil Ramone, you know he does what he puts his mind to!)
Phil listened to Julian’s demos, had several creative meetings with Julian and Ahmet and suggested we go and cut basic tracks at Muscle Shoals, where he did the legendary Paul Simon masterpiece There Goes Rhymin’ Simon.
I was just a few years older than Julian and we spent quite a bit of time together. Julian didn’t know the legacy of the place we were about to inhabit, wasn’t perfectly sure this was the right move, yet had faith in Phil. I knew that once we hit the searing heat of the South and learned about this vaunted venue, Julian would know why we were there.
We arrived at the local airport, picked up our 12 seat white Dodge
passenger van, which I drove as the young production manager, dropped off our gear and bags at the local Holiday Inn and made our way to one of the most historic recording studios on the planet. (Yes, right up there with A&R Recording and The Hit Factory in NY, Air Studios and Abbey Road in London, Criteria in Miami, Guillaume Tell in Paris, Oceanway, The Village Recorder, Conway, Westlake and so many others in Los Angeles.Muscle Shoals Studios was a legendary recording studio not only because of its stellar clientele—Aretha, Paul Simon, Wilson Pickett, the Staple Singers–as well as all the local products who made memorable records there, but because of the best rhythm section on the planet. THAT WAS WHY WE WERE GOING TO MUSCLE SHOALS.
On a boiling hot day, Phil, Julian, myself, his manager and his guitar
player walked into an old, battered shell of a recording facility in the deep South. Everyone’s reaction (excluding Phil’s of course) was, sheesh, what is this? Nothing fancy, incredibly-plain looking, dull white walls, older than old, quite ordinary.One by one, out of the kitchen area stepped David Hood, Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson and the one and only Barry Beckett to introduce themselves. Humble, introspective, quiet, warm. It was the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. They were delighted to see Phil and sincerely happy to meet Julian and his entourage.
We sat around and Phil laid out his plan on how this two week jaunt was going to play out. Then Barry start to talk. I’ll always remember Barry for how well he treated Julian and us. Like a father figure, listening to Phil and Julian’s creative ideas, guiding them, the band and the boy wonder, Julian, to his million-plus selling debut release.
He was the band leader for our dates, but so much more. His storytelling was amazing and it wasn’t just from all the dates the Rhythm Section played on in their life. He had a true sense of caring and it lived in all the stories he shared. His keyboard playing was indescribable: fluid, melodic, sweeping, grand, rhythmic and much more.
Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Laura Nyro, Bob Seger, Leon Russell, Linda Ronstadt, Boz Scaggs, Willie Nelson, Rod Stewart and so many others. Just a snapshot of those he played with and/or produced.
He was a major, major star, producing Dylan, playing on scores of massive hits and he was the complete humble Southern gent to a t. I think of Barry often and cannot believe he’s gone.
Session Player. Producer. Teacher. Friend.
My trip to Muscle Shoals at a young age remains one of many deeply-ingrained magical memories in my mind.
Go in peace, Barry. There was no one like you.
Joe D’Ambrosio
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Bob,
Thanks for this, studio players like Barry were artists themselves in their ability to bring these great songs to life with groove, imagination, melody and soul.
I’ve had the pleasure of playing with quite a few great session players from that era (some you would know and some who have remained in obscurity), these individuals are our greatest teachers and very very few young cats coming up today have had the opportunity to learn directly from these masters (the way guys like Barry did in the 40s/50s when a vibrant music community was essential at all levels).
In 2009, with no "studio scene" or even a vibrant "club scene" for live music, music education has moved into the schools where it is turning out lots of great technicians who then graduate and have no way to make a living and no strut in their step. Great musicianship used to be earned with the hard knocks of late nights gigging and begging to get on the band stand only to finally get on and get screamed at by old bad asses like Barry Beckett! That makes you go home and practice! I was lucky enough to come up in Milwaukee in the early 90’s where clubs like the Up & Under guaranteed this environment, even for a 16 year old who snuck in and jammed…that era appears to be gone.
We need to embrace our great rhythm sections again (the old and the new), music does not truly come alive without them, the groove is in the rub and that comes from flesh and bone communication, soul to soul.
I’ve had the honor of playing guitar in Gregg Allmans band since 2008. This band has the legendary Jerry Jemmott on bass (playing his ass off), check out his discography (after all, he is also one of the GREAT muscle shoals session men)! The great Steve Potts (from Booker T and the MGs) is on drums, this section cooks! The band is rounded out with even more incredible talent, Bruce Katz on keys, Jay Collins on sax and Floyd Miles on percussion and vocals. Not to mention Gregg who is singing his ass off!
Not that this band needs props or an advertisement. But I would encourage you and your readers to come hear this band, and hear someone like Jerry Jemmott play the bass while they still can! (hes not going ANYWHERE soon but now IS the time!!) We’re about to do a west coast run:
www.greggallman.com
Come support the Barry Becketts of old and new, yours in protection of the groove,
Scott Sharrard
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Barry’s legacy continues with his sons Matthew, a fine engineer and Mark an incredible , up and coming session drummer . Like their father, they are both kind and upstanding gentleman . I know their father was proud !
Bruce Bouton.
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Hello Bob..
I just wanted to take a minute and say thank you for the letter you wrote on your site about my father..Barry Beckett. A musician buddy of mine sent it to me and I have read it numerous times…welling up or crying everytime I do so. It does me proud to know that you and so many other people thought so much of him and his talents. He truly was one of a kind.
I will be putting together a memorial for him at the Musicians Hall of Fame very soon….Please come if you can. It would be nice to see you.
Thanks
Mark Beckett