Larry Knechtel dies at 69; bassist, keyboardist (You probably know some of his work.)

[Wilms]

Larry Knechtel dies at 69; bassist, keyboardist for '70s soft-rock group Bread

Knechtel played keyboards and bass with the Wrecking Crew, a group of L.A. studio musicians, before joining Bread in 1971. His arrangement of 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' won a Grammy in 1970.

By Keith Thursby

August 24, 2009

Larry Knechtel, a member of the 1970s soft-rock group Bread, who had a wide-ranging career as a studio musician, has died.

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Knechtel played keyboards, bass guitar and harmonica as a member of the Wrecking Crew, a group of Los Angeles studio musicians that included future headliners Glen Campbell and Leon Russell and session drummer Hal Blaine. Knechtel played with Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, the Byrds, the Mamas and the Papas and many others.

snip

Knechtel, who was born Aug. 4, 1940, in Bell, first played with Kip Tyler and the Flips and in 1959 joined Duane Eddy, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist. He won a Grammy in 1970 for his arrangement of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel. Knechtel also played the piano on that song.

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Knechtel played on the Dixie Chicks' "Taking the Long Way" album and toured with the group in 2006. He had been living in Yakima since 2003.

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-larry-knechtel24-2009aug24,0,3190712.story


Like many session musicians, Knechtel is proficient in other instruments, notably the harmonica and also the electric bass guitar (which can be heard on "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds) and on tracks by The Doors who did not have their own bass guitarist. In 1971, he joined Bread, where his many contributions include the memorable guitar solo on the hit single "The Guitar Man".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Knechtel