Bassist Dave Schools has been holding down the bottom end for Widespread Panic since he helped form the group in 1986. Schools recently created a Spotify playlist featuring 21 songs with bass lines that “influenced and perplexed” him as a youngster. “It is not meant to be a Top-21 list of greatest bassists but rather a playlist of tunes that are important to me because the bass playing moved my brain, heart, soul and/or butt,” the Richmond native explained.
DAS went the concise route for the collection but added, “Perhaps there will be a Volume 2 playlist with more contemporary bassists and deep cats.” The playlist entitled “Bass Godz” begins with Sly & The Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falenttinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” featuring the great Larry Graham. Other living legends whose songs made the cut include Paul McCartney, Oteil Burbridge, Roger Waters, Phil Lesh, John Paul Jones, George Porter Jr., Scott Thunes and Bootsy Collins.
Schools also honors the work of a number of bassists who have died such as Berry Oakley, Chris Squire, John Entwistle, James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, Wilton Felder, Charles Mingus, Allen Woody and Jack Bruce. It fitting fashion, the set concludes with Paul McCartney on The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” Stream the playlist below:
