Bill Salter, Harlem Bassist and ‘Just the Two Of Us’ Co-Writer, Dies at 88
We have sad news to share today as bassist and songwriter Bill Salter has passed away. He was 88 years old.
Salter was born and raised in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood and studied at the city’s High School of the Performing Arts. His first professional gig in music was as the bassist for American folk legend Pete Seeger, but he would go on to play with notable artists such as Herbie Mann, Mary Lou Williams, Leon Thomas, and Horace Silver, among others.
“Prior to getting involved with music, I was just another kid on the block, without knowing who I was,” he said in a StoryCorps feature for NPR. He then said that carrying the large upright bass down the street gave him confidence. “I walked like I was somebody special. I would walk down the street with the bass on my back and people would just stand back. And with that bass, I’ve been able to get as far as I’ve gotten.”
In the 1960s, Salter began a stint with Miriam Makeba, also known as “Mama Africa,” and started writing songs for her. This led to a prolific songwriting aspect to his career. Later in the decade, he wrote “When You Smile,” which became a hit for Shirley Bassey, and “Mr. Magic,” which became another hit for Grover Washington, Jr. His biggest hits were in the world of soul and R&B. He wrote “Where is the Love” for Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway as well as “Just the Two of Us,” which he co-wrote with Bill Withers.
In 1977, Salter released a solo album called “It Is So Beautiful to Be.” In more recent years, he had been performing and recording as both The Bill Salter Experience and the Ebony Hillbillies.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of William “Bill” Salter.
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.
