James Jamerson’s Family Starts GoFundMe to Raise New Headstone, Scholarship Fund
Without a doubt, James Jamerson is a huge figure in the history of the electric bass. His work on countless Motown hits inspired scores of bassists while creating the groove that made a generation dance. Now his family wants his burial site to have a headstone to match his legacy.
Jamerson’s cousin Anthony McKnight has started a GoFundMe crowd-funding campaign to raise money for it. Currently, a flat headstone marks the bass legend’s final resting place at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. “We want one that stands out and stands upright with a bass guitar as his symbol,” McKnight told the Charleston City Paper. “From my understanding, his grave is the most visited grave at Woodlawn.”
Leftover money raised for the headstone will be used for a musical scholarship in Jamerson’s name. It will go to two students: one in Edisto Island where the bassist was born, and one in Detroit where he made his musical career.
For more info, check out the Jamerson Project GoFundMe page.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
