Tommy Cogbill

An essential architect of the Memphis soul sound, Tommy Cogbill was a guitarist, producer, and highly influential session bassist. [2, 4] As a core member of the American Sound Studio house band, The Memphis Boys, he shaped pivotal recordings of the 1960s and 70s. [2, 7] His bass style was defined by a unique combination of melodic invention and driving, syncopated rhythm, which is evident on landmark tracks like Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man," Aretha Franklin's "Respect," and Wilson Pickett's "Funky Broadway". [2, 11] Cogbill's work advanced the role of the electric bass in popular music, influencing generations of players with his intuitive and commanding presence on the instrument. [2, 8]