Carol Kaye Declines 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Invitation
Renowned session bassist Carol Kaye has announced that she will not be attending the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. In a statement on Facebook, the 90-year-old musician expressed her decision to decline the invitation, citing that the event does not accurately represent the contributions of studio musicians from the 1960s.
Kaye's primary concern lies with the term "Wrecking Crew," which is used to describe the collaborative efforts of studio musicians during the 1960s and 1970s. She believes that this label is inaccurate and disrespectful to the session players of her era, emphasizing that they worked as a team rather than individual artists.
Having played on an estimated 10,000 recordings throughout her illustrious career spanning over six decades, Kaye is considered one of the most prolific bass guitarists in history. Her impressive discography includes collaborations with iconic artists such as The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and Stevie Wonder, among others.
Reflecting on her journey to becoming a legendary bassist, Kaye shared insights into her transition from a jazz guitarist to a bass player in the recording studio. Despite initially being unfamiliar with the instrument, her experience as a jazz musician allowed her to create innovative bass lines that became integral to many hit records.
While Kaye appeared in the documentary "The Wrecking Crew" in 2008, she has consistently rejected the use of that term to describe the group of studio musicians she worked with. She firmly stands by her belief that they were simply known as Studio Musicians and rejects any association with the "Wrecking Crew" label.
In light of her principles and values, Kaye has made the decision to forego the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as she feels it does not align with her beliefs and does not accurately represent the collaborative nature of studio musicians during her era. Despite this, the event will proceed with other inductees such as The White Stripes, OutKast, and Cyndi Lauper.
The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on November 8th, with live streaming available on Disney+ and subsequent broadcasts on Hulu and ABC.