James Jamerson Day

James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases until 1971), and is now regarded as one of the most influential bass players in modern music history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. As a session musician he played on 30 Billboard #1 hits, as well as over 70 R&B #1 hits, more than any other bass player in both categories.

In its special “Bass Player’s 100 Greatest Bass Players” issue in 2017, Bass Player Magazine named Jamerson the number one “Greatest Bass Player”. In 2011, Jamerson ranked third in The “20 Most Underrated Bass Guitarists” in Paste magazine.

A native of Edisto Island (near Charleston), South Carolina, Jamerson moved with his mother to Detroit, Michigan in 1954 and began playing in Detroit area blues and jazz clubs. His son, James Jamerson, Jr. (1958–2016), was also a professional bassist.