Carol Kaye

Carol Kaye, born Carol Smith on March 24, 1935, is an American musician renowned for her extensive work as a bass guitarist. With a career spanning over 65 years, she is recognized as one of the most prolific recorded bass guitarists in rock and pop music, contributing to an estimated 10,000 recordings. Kaye began her musical journey in her early teens, initially playing guitar. After working as a guitar teacher, she performed regularly on the Los Angeles jazz and big band circuit. Her session work commenced in 1957, and through a connection at Gold Star Studios, she began collaborating with prominent producers such as Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. In 1963, after a bassist failed to show up for a recording session, she switched to bass guitar and quickly established herself as one of the most sought-after session musicians of the 1960s. Her collaborations included numerous hit songs, and she expanded her expertise into film soundtracks, working with notable composers like Quincy Jones and Lalo Schifrin. Kaye also authored several instructional books, including How To Play The Electric Bass. Although her activity decreased toward the late 1970s, she continued her musical career and garnered admiration from other musicians. During her prominent years as a session player, she was part of the Los Angeles–based group known as the Wrecking Crew, and her work is featured in the 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew. In 2025, she was selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence Award category, an honor she declined.

Summary based on Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Every podcast episode Carol Kaye has appeared on, newest first.

Topics hosts book Carol to cover, drawn from the episodes where they appear.

Browse the full historical catalogue of shows that have previously hosted Carol.

Journey to the Stage with Bryan Frazier

3 episodes

Shows

3

Michael Shelley

2 episodes

Shows

2

Michael Shelley | WFMU

1 episode

Shows

1

The Parish Counsel

1 episode

Shows

1

Shut The Funk Up Podcast

1 episode

Shows

1

The Hidden History of Los Angeles

1 episode

Shows

1

Guests who share the same shows as Carol. Worth a look if you are building a panel or pitching the same circuit.