Bobby Haynes

Legendary Bassist Robert "Bobby" Eugene Haynes, Sr., 83, was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, moved to LA at 11, and attended Jordan and Freemont High Schools. He married Marianne in 1955 and began his career at 18 in R&B with Percy Mayfield, TBone Walker, Big Joe Turner and others. He moved into jazz with Dexter Gordon, Chico Hamilton, Barney Kessel, Larry Coryell and Jazz Crusaders writing title song on their "Jazz Waltz" album. He worked with Lou Rawls, Lena Horne, Della Reese, Dusty Springfield, Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross, Raquel Welch's world tour and many more. He ended his traveling touring 6 years with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. There was always recording studio work including Ike & Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" and "A Fool In Love" with Phil Spector. He worked with HB Barnum and also Motown, such as Diana Ross and the Supremes' "These Boots Were Made for Walking" and "Supremes-a-Go-Go Album." Bobby attended Los Angeles City College, Dale Carnegie, Tepper-Gallegos, Jocelyn Ryan Modeling, auctioneer school, Pamela Ryan Acting, and studied martial arts. When he stopped traveling, Bobby stayed busy recording, playing local clubs and casuals, booking clubs and playing brunch for 9 years at a Bel Air hotel. Bobby loved doing film and TV work, sidelines, print ads, sound tracks, extra work, and commercials, including 2 2013 Taco Bell commercials: Super Bowl and Afternoon Delight; and more recently ESPN Bleacher Report "Up Your Game." Bobby just wrote a book that will be out soon. This intelligent, elegant, most beautiful man graced us all with his wonderful music from the homeless to royalty all over the world. How lucky we have been to have heard the very best. Bobby was preceded in death by his son, Bobby Haynes, Jr., in 2015. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marianne, his daughter, attorney Leslie and her partner Jimmy Nkutu, grandson, DJ, brother Hampton, nieces, nephew, cousins and pets all of whom love and miss him dearly. Bobby passed away peacefully with his Marianne by his side on July 31, 2018. Private services were held August 16, 2018 at Holy Cross Mortuary.