I write this with a heavy heart.....Larry Knechtel has left us. One of the most prolific, in-demand session musicians of the last fifty years, Larry’s stylistic scope was vast, not only as a keyboardist, but also as a bass guitarist, and he leaves a dazzling legacy on record.

His most famous performance was probably his Grammy-winning turn as the piano centerpiece of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by Simon & Garfunkel, but the milestones are many. As a member of The Wrecking Crew , that legendary team of L.A. sessioneers throughout the sixties, he contributed to Phil Spector’s Wall Of Sound, was integral to Brian Wilson’s soundscapes for The Beach Boys, and was right there with Jimmy Webb on all of his ground-breaking productions. Randy Newman and Van Dyke Parks each employed him extensively and when I’d bring up some session he’d long forgotten he’d say , in his trademark growl, ‘I played on that ? If you say so’.

The bass on ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ by The Byrds ? Larry Knechtel. He played on both hit versions of ‘Light My Fire’ , bass on The Doors cut , and keyboards on Jose Feliciano’s. Elvis Presley’s 1968 comeback T.V. special ? You guessed it. He found time to produce a hit for Sammy Johns -‘Chevy Van’, and in the Seventies took a well-earned break from the studios to have his pop-star moment in the spotlight , joining Bread for their heyday years.

Although he took an early semi-retirement in his beloved Pacific Northwest after a bout with cancer , the calls kept coming, and he kept answering the bell, touring extensively and recording with Elvis Costello and later The Dixie Chicks, and recording Neil Diamond’s comeback album, produced by Rick Rubin.

I had become aware of him when he toured England in the late fifties as pianist with Duane Eddy & The Rebels, and his distinctive surname allowed me to keep track of his exploits through the years ( at least once the record companies started printing musician credits on albums ! ). I caught up with him in the Nineties, while he was exploring the Nashville scene, and had the honor and pleasure to co-write with him for a few years, as well as having him play on several of my productions.

Larry always brought his A-game to the studio. It was obvious that he loved to play piano, and his inventiveness was boundless....give him the sketch of a chord sequence and he’d almost telepathically color and voice it perfectly for you, usually adding something that would be the icing on the cake.

Although he chose to present a gruff, world-weary facade, I found him to be self-effacing , dryly humorous and great company over a drink - this was a man with a wealth of war stories, which could be coaxed from him with a little prompting, and I prompted often !

His discography is vast...along with his old comrade , drummer Hal Blaine, he might well be the most recorded musician ever, certainly among the top five. Larry was sixty-nine.

He will be missed.....

Michael Snow .August 22nd. 2009.