bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

I've been trying to determine who played the excellent
bass line on the song "Summer Side of Life." I've always
assumed it was Rick Haynes, but some liner notes indicate
that Haynes wasn't the only bass player on that album.

Does anybody know for sure? Thanks for any information
you can provide........

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Probably was Rick. Rick and I talked about this song some years ago and I mentioned I thought it was a great song that Gordon wasn't doing at the time, Rick agreed with me and said he thought it was one of Gordons best songs.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Rick Haynes actually played little on that album. Upright/acoustic bassist Junior Husky played along with electric bassist Henry Strezelecki. I am struggling with the spelling of Henry's last name, but I believe he is the one who played on "Summer Side Of Life" as well as "10 Degrees and Getting Colder" and "Cabaret".

Gord's bass player has long been a pet peeve of mine. Rick Haynes is a competent bass player, but I believe he pales in comparison to other bassists that have been employed. John Stockfish absolutely caught my attention with his lines. Tom Szcesniak (sp) on "Endless Wire" is another.

---Mike

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

perhaps it was James Rolleston who also played on that tune

I think that this is the full session/live bassist roster:

Bill Lee
Bob Glaub
Dennis Pendrith
Hadley Hockensmith
Henry Strzelecki
James Rolleston
John Stockfish
Junior Huskey
Rick Haynes
Tom Szczesniak
*Bob Doidge

surprised that Bob Doidge never played bass on a track on either the last 2 albums...perhaps he did play on Sometimes I Wish, it's not clear...anyhow, I like the feel on that one (and this type of thread)

*edit: after reading over credits again I realize that "solo production" implies that Bob DID play pretty much all instruments on both Sometimes I Wish and End of All Time...

so that "..." factor didn't only confuse me in the geosteve quizzes but also in the Harmony sleeve credit presentation...I've added to the above list accordingly and I'm off to listen for cello (perhaps my fave instrument) on that last studio cut

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Speaking of "Summer Side of Life", I have recently re-discovered this album (yes, I still call them albums). In my opinion, it is one of Gord's best.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

side note: speaking of SSOL, I've always wanted to hear to alt mix that Wayne describes below...although I feel there is a void hearing GL live without some simple harmony to partialy emulate some of those classic studio mixes, I've never liked the chorus of SSOL due to that wall of harmony mix

"Perhaps most intriguing of all is the alternate mix of the title track, Summer Side Of Life, which does not have the wall of background singers on the choruses. To hear Lightfoot sing those passages alone and unadorned adds a beautiful edge and intimacy to the song that the released version misses."

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

And a very correct opinion it is! SSOL is a real sleeper of an album because nothing on it hit but it's just full of wonderful songs and if you take out those background singers really nice arrangements.

I don't know who plays teh bass on that particular track but it's a wonderful part.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

agreed!. i'd put it second to Dream street rose

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

I may just be muddying the waters..........

Four bass players on SSOL (the album) :

1) Rick Haynes
2) James Rolleston
3) Junior Huskey
4) Henry Strzelecki

Lightfoot's "Complete Greatest Hits " contains 2 songs from SSOL :

1) SSOL
2) Cotton Jenney

Only Junior Huskey is not linked to "Complete Greatest Hits". So, maybe we can rule Junior Huskey out as far as playing bass on SSOL (the song).

It's a start.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Hey, it's a start. My bet would be that Junior Huskey would be the bass on Redwood Hill. Right up his alley.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

I think that would be a wise wager.

Pondering this further : Of course Rick Haynes would be linked to "Complete Greatest Hits" via other songs. So that leaves Rolleston and Strzelecki for Cotton Jenney and SSOL. Since both were/are premiere Nashviille session musicians, I highly doubt that both would have played on the same tune.

Take your pick.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Since there is a flurry of deductive reasoning going on, who plays that groovy bass on Always on the Bright Side (a big fave, Gord has not many/any other arrangements in that style)?

Hockensmith is my guess but could be Szczeznzizazk...or could Rick himself.

Gord comments it was written during his EOM penning flurry but another note says it was a Salute out take just to keep the waters muddy...great questions for Char tele-interview#2:) Gord may have no clue himself...session player credits are always fun...some guy's work will even get left on the cutting room floor and they often still make the credits probably rightfully so as they did provide options

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Never mind.........

Disregard my previous reasoning. Further research blew it completely out of the muddy water.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Re: Session Players.

In some cases one not need even play on the session to be credited. Case in point: In the 1960's Merle Haggard used both James Burton and Roy Nichols on lead guitar. There were many sessions where Roy did not play. He simply sat and watched Burton play, but he was still credited in the Union Contract. (They didn't credit session players on album covers back then).

---Mike

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

I would have to respectfully disagree with you Mike. I have been enjoying Rick Haynes bass playing at Gord's shows for a long time. I think he is one of the very best bass players in all of POP music music. Gord is blessed to have him. - I think back to some of those great live bass lines over the years like on "Ode to Big Blue", "In my fashion" and "the wreck". Extremely musical and creative lines. Rick is a lights out great bass player!
Bill

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

I got a chance to ask him, Rick Haynes played bass on Summer Side of Life.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

That was easy enough.

Thanks for asking.

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Now that is odd, I could swear I replied to this post and question when it was first asked, I mentioned about that Rick and I talked about the song and he especially liked this song etc., but the post is missing. What did I do wrong?

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

there it is..!!
i must have inadvertently clicked on it along with the numerous SPAM postings and deleted it but have found it - so here it is!
lol
I sometimes delete the SPAM during the middle of the night when I can't sleep...and am overtired..
:(

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question about
the bass on "Summer Side of Life." It sounds pretty
definitive that Rick Haynes did play that very
strong line.............

:cool:

Re: bass on "Summer Side of Life"
 

Thanks, I knew I wasn't dreaming, and I'm glad that I didn't do anything wrong. :)