Bob-Babbitt-Obituary

Bob Babbitt

Obituary

DETROIT (AP) - Prominent Motown studio musician and Funk Brothers member Bob Babbitt, whose bass playing pounded through the Temptations hit "Ball of Confusion" and Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)," has died. He was 74.

Babbitt died Monday of complications from brain cancer in Nashville, Tennessee, where he had lived for many years, his manager David Spero said in a statement released by Universal Music, the label in which Babbitt contributed to numerous hit records.

Well-known for decades among musicians, Babbitt laid down bass lines on Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," along with "The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, "Inner City Blues" by Gaye, and Edwin Starr's "War."

"Bob was a teddy bear of a guy," former Motown engineer Ed Wolfrum told the Detroit Free Press. "And he was an extraordinary musician - a player's player."

After leaving Motown, he recorded with Bette Midler, Jim Croce, Bonn ie Raitt and Frank Sinatra.

In all, he played on more than 200 top 40 hits, including "Midnight Train to Georgia," by Gladys Knight and the Pips and "Ready to Take a Chance Again" by Barry Manilow.

Babbitt gained wider public recognition through the 2002 film about the Funk Brothers, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown."

"He was one of the last of the breed of journeymen bass players who were total pros, could go in and crank out a hit, go to the next session and crank out another one," Allan Slutsky, the film's writer and producer, told The Detroit News.

Babbitt was born Robert Kreinar on Nov. 26, 1937, in Pittsburgh. He got his first music work freelancing around Detroit in the mid-1960s and joined Stevie Wonder's touring band in 1966. The next year he became part of Motown's house band, known as the Funk Brothers.

Babbitt had lived in Nashville for 26 years but he told The Tennessean in 2003 that he toured so much that he got little work as a s ession player in the city's recording studios. "I couldn't get producers on the phone," he said.

Babbitt is survived by his wife, Ann Kreinar, and their children, Carolyn, Joseph and Karen.


Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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I miss you, brother!

One of the most beloved low frequency experts in American music. Bless you!

the beat in my heart through years and still ..
what a gift God gave us
blessings to the family.

I started playing bass because of you - Thanks

The Funk Brothers were an integral wheel in the success of the Moson Legacy. Thank you for sharing in the making of some of the most beautiful unforgettable music!

A great musician who played on alot of MOTOWN hits being a member of the famous "FUNK BROTHERS" , all his talent will be greatly missed.....RIP

Babb! You took me under your wing. Never dreamed I'd be friends, and have the great honor of writing and recording with you. I miss you and Anne. Miss you friend. Looking forward to playing music with you and Scattie in Heaven.

I'm just one of your many, many fans. Oh how I wish to have known you in person, your music inspired me to take up Bass. May God open his arms wide for you!!!!

i never knew Bob or any of the Funk Brothers, but my ears LOVED their music. I am just finding out about Bob's death so I'm sorry this is soo late. Loved Standing In The Shadows, and was glad someone finally brought forth to the light , THE GREATEST BAND hands down. as someone who lost all their family members, except one to Cancer, i understnd how difficult it must have been for your family to watch. wish i could give you back to them, but only if you were healthy and happy. as someone who...