Pittsburgh native bassist BOB BABBITT - One of the last surviving members of the Funk Brothers, - Pittsburgh Jazz Network2024-03-29T08:34:36Zhttps://jazzburgher.ning.com/forum/topics/pittsburgh-native-bassist-bob-babbitt-bob-babbitt-one-of-the-last?groupUrl=obituaries&feed=yes&xn_auth=noBob Babbitt, Motown Bassist W…tag:jazzburgher.ning.com,2012-08-21:1992552:Comment:2642892012-08-21T03:32:58.665ZDr. Nelson Harrisonhttps://jazzburgher.ning.com/profile/NelsonHarrison
<p>Bob Babbitt, Motown Bassist With Funk Brothers, Dies at 74</p>
<h6 class="byline">By <span><span>THE ASSOCIATED PRESS</span></span></h6>
<h6 class="dateline">Published: July 17, 2012</h6>
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<li class="shareToolsItem shareToolsItemAd Frame4A lastItem" id="Frame4A">DETROIT (AP) — <a href="http://www.bobbabbitt.com/" title="His official site.">Bob…</a></li>
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<p>Bob Babbitt, Motown Bassist With Funk Brothers, Dies at 74</p>
<h6 class="byline">By <span><span>THE ASSOCIATED PRESS</span></span></h6>
<h6 class="dateline">Published: July 17, 2012</h6>
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<li id="Frame4A" class="shareToolsItem shareToolsItemAd Frame4A lastItem">DETROIT (AP) — <a title="His official site." href="http://www.bobbabbitt.com/">Bob Babbitt</a>, who played bass on many classic Motown records as a member of the ensemble known as the Funk Brothers, died on Monday in Nashville. He was 74.</li>
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<h6 class="credit">Luke Palmisano/Associated Press</h6>
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<p class="caption">Bob Babbitt in 2003.His death was announced by Lina Stephens, the chief curator of the Motown Museum here. Mr. Babbitt’s son, Joe Kreinar, told The Detroit News that Mr. Babbitt had brain cancer.</p>
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<div class="articleBody"><p>Well known for decades among musicians, the Funk Brothers provided uncredited instrumental support to all of Motown’s biggest stars. They gained wider public recognition as the subject of the acclaimed 2002 documentary “Standing in the Shadows of Motown” and were given a lifetime achievement award at the 2004 <a class="meta-classifier" title="More articles about the Grammy Awards." href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/g/grammy_awards/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier">Grammys</a>.</p>
<p>Mr. Babbitt, who was born Robert Kreinar in Pittsburgh, began doing Motown sessions in the mid-1960s and continued into the early 1970s. James Jamerson was the label’s primary bassist in those years, but Mr. Babbitt provided the bass lines for numerous Motown hits, including Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” the Temptations’ “Ball of Confusion,” Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” and Edwin Starr’s “War.” He later recorded with Barry Manilow, the Spinners, Alice Cooper and many others.</p>
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