In Memoriam: Remembering the Bass Icons We Lost in 2025

2025 was marked by plenty of highs in the bass world, but there were also many lows. As we reflect on the year that was, we also pause to remember the bassists that left us, from pioneers of the instrument to technological innovators.

Join us as we remember the bass icons we lost in 2025.

Toby Myers (January 16, 2025)

Myers joined John Mellencamp (then John Cougar) in the early ’80s and first appeared on 1983’s Uh-Huh, which featured the hits “Pink Houses,” “Authority Song,” and “Crumblin’ Down.” He stayed on board through 1999 and was an integral part of the singer’s sound.

Jeffrey Runnings (March 3, 2025)

Runnings formed For Against in Lincoln, Nebraska during 1984. After personnel shifts, he became the bassist and vocalist. Their British-influenced post-punk sound was unusual for a band from the Midwest, making it highly influential.

Dave Allen (April 5, 2025)

Dave Allen joined Gang of Four in 1976, repleacing original bassist Dave Wolfson, just in time to record their debut album, Entertainment! His throaty, punchy bass lines propelled their sound and created the blueprint for indie bands to come.

Roger McLachlan (April 16, 2025)

Born in New Zealand in 1954, Mclachlan moved to Australia in 1974 to join a touring band for the musical Godspell. It was there he connected with the musicians that would make up the Little River Band. His bass lines drove songs like “It’s a Long Way There” before he left in 1976. He continued in music, releasing albums with Pyramid, The Souldiggers, and his own solo project.

Mark Deutsch (May 5, 2025)

Mark Deutsch was a singular musician. A professional since he was just 12 years old, Deutsch was the inventor of the Bazantar, a six-string double bass fitted with twenty-nine sympathetic strings and four drone strings. The result was a powerful blend of Western classical music and Eastern traditions.

Brian Wilson (June 11, 2025)

Brian Wilson may have been better known for his songwriting with The Beach Boys, but he started as the band’s bassist. He also crafted some of the most perfect bass lines for studio musicians like Carol Kaye to play.

Charles Burrell (June 17, 2025)

Burrell is known for being the first African American musician to secure a full-time contract with a major American symphony orchestra, but that just scratches the surface. He was equally adept at jazz and classical, and performed with everyone from the Denver Symphony Orchestra to Fats Waller and Duke Ellington. We recommend watching the documentary “The Longest Walk” to learn more on his incredible life.

Bill Salter (June 23, 2025)

Before co-writing “Just the Two of Us” with Bill Withers, Bill Salter played bass with jazz artist Miriam Makeba, among others. He also wrote the songs “When You Smile” and “Mr. Magic,” which became another hit for Grover Washington, Jr.

Gary Karr (July 16, 2025)

Gary Karr’s influence on the bass world is hard to overestimate. He was a virtuoso that specialized in solo bass features; a highly uncommon sight during the 1960’s. He revolutionized the way people saw the bass through multiple TV performances. Karr founded the International Society for Bassists, taught at Ivy League schools, and gave masterclasses around the world. Although he retired from performing in 2001, he stayed active in the bass community as a advocate for the instrument and its players.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner (July 20, 2025)

Most people recognize Warner from his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, but those in the know were aware of his passion for the bass. “Known for his rich tone and smooth melodic lines on the five-string bass, Malcolm recorded and toured with top artists like Robert Glasper and Terri Lyne Carrington,” Jody shared in our article. “He earned Grammy recognition along the way. His 2022 album Hiding in Plain View showed just how much he had grown as a bassist and composer with its fresh mix of jazz and spoken word.”

George Mundy (July 25, 2025)

Mundy was there at the dawn of the boutique bass. He was vital in the creation of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh’s Alembic “Mission Control,” which featured his intricate filter system. After leaving Alembic, he created the Pluto Dual Filter and more recently consulted Osiris PHILters on their Lesh-inspired pedal.

Danny Thompson (September 23, 2025)

Thompson began his career on the bass in the mid-60s with Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, but he soon co-founded the prog-folk pioneers Pentangle. The group pushed musical boundaries with odd time signatures and improvisation while retaining an acoustic approach. After the band dissolved, he continued with session work for artists from John Martyn to Rod Stewart, not to mention his six solo recordings.

Ken Parker (October 5, 2025)

Parker Guitars founder Ken Parker passed away, leaving a legacy of innovation and creativity. The Parker Fly, which was adapted to a bass guitar version, became his signature design with elements fo fiberglass and polymer alongside traditional wooden elements.

John Lodge (October 10, 2025)

John Lodge joined the Moody Blues in 1966 and changed the face of rock. Their album Days of Future Passed is cited as one of the earliest examples of progressive rock as well as one of rock’s first concept albums. He stayed with the band all the way through its dissolution in 2018, after which he toured the catalog with his own solo band. Bass Player Magazine named him one of the top ten bassists of all time, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 with the Moody Blues.

Sam Rivers (October 18, 2025)

Rivers co-founded Limp Bizkit with frontman Fred Durst and redefined the role of the bass during the nu metal era. His aggressive bass tones and angular, melodic approach caught the attention of music lovers around the world.

Anthony Jackson (October 19, 2025)

The loss of Anthony Jackson hurt all musicians, not just bassists. He was a renowned session player who recorded more than 500 albums and over 3,000 sessions for artists like The O’Jays (“For the Love of Money”), Chaka Khan (“Clouds”), Steely Dan (“Glamour Profession”), and many more. He was the mind behind the six-string contrabass. But more than his output, he was the epitome of a serious musician. His dedication and work ethic continue to be an inspiration for us all.

Scott Sorry (October 30, 2025)

Sorry was a member of the hard rock supergroup Brides of Destruction, in which he replaced Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx. He recorded one album with them before leaving to join The Wildhearts and launching his solo career.

Ray Drummond (November 1, 2025)

Drummond was a first-call bassist as soon as he moved to New York City in 1977. He worked with jazz luminaries including Johnny Griffin, Kenny Barron, Art Farmer, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson, and many more. His solo discography features ten albums that have influenced a generation of artists.

Gary “Mani” Mounfield (November 20, 2025)

As a member of the Stone Roses and Primal Scream, Mounfield shaped the sound of Manchester’s “Madchester” music scene, which blended indie rock with acid house and psychedelia. He was also a member of Freebass, a three-bass band with The Smiths’ Andy Rourke and Joy Division’s Peter Hook.

Phil Upchurch (November 23, 2025)

Upchurch was a multi-instrumentalist and is known as well for his guitar work as his bass work, but his bass cannot be overlooked. His solo band released the hit “You Can’t Sit Down” in 1961, which Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones later recalled as the first song to turn him on to rock bass guitar. He also worked as a session musician for Chess Records, laying down bass for Howlin’ Wolf. His most-heard bass line may be on George Benson’s “Breezin,'” which delivers the song’s funky yet laid-back feel.

Tetsu Yamauchi (December 4, 2025)

Yamauchi was born in Fukuoka, Japan and got his first break with Mickey Curtis and Samurai. After a European tour, he made connections that landed him the bass chair in Free after Andy Fraser left. He would then join The Faces in 1973. After the band broke up, he returned to Japan and formed a solo band. He left music for some time, but had reignited his passion in 2023 by performing in a duo with drummer Yoshitaka Shimada.