Leland Sklar

Leland Sklar
Sklar performing live in 2017
Background information
Birth name Leland Bruce Sklar
Born (1947-05-28) May 28, 1947[1]
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Origin Southern California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s) Session musician
Instruments
  • Bass guitar
  • Guitarrón mexicano
  • vocals
Years active 1962–Present
Associated acts

Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American musician. A prominent electric bass guitarist, Sklar has contributed to over 2,000 albums as a session musician. He has collaborated with a number of well-known performers and recorded soundtracks to films and television shows.

Early life and career

Sklar studied at California State University, Northridge. It was during that time he met James Taylor, who invited him to play bass at some venues. They both thought that the work would be short-term, but soon Taylor's career took off with his first hit records, and Sklar came into the limelight. He was soon asked to record with others, and his long career began.[2] In the 1970s, Sklar worked so frequently with drummer Russ Kunkel, guitarist Danny Kortchmar, and keyboardist Craig Doerge that they eventually became known as "The Section" and recorded three albums under that name between 1972 and 1977.

Sklar has the nickname, "Father Time."[3]

Equipment

Sklar's favorite instrument is a bass put together from various parts and consists of a Precision-bass body, a Jazz-bass neck with mandolin frets and two sets of Precision-bass pickups. It has been used on 90% of his recordings and he refers to it as the "Frankenstein bass".[4]

In 2004, Sklar began playing a signature model 5 string bass made by Dingwall Guitars[5] of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. This was his main bass on tour and he used them in various recordings. The bass uses fanned-frets which result in longer low strings and shorter high strings.

In 2010, Sklar began playing the Warwick Star Bass II which has since become his main bass in the studio.[6]

In 2013, after years of having been a Warwick Star Bass II user, he became an endorser of that instrument.[7][8]

At Winter NAMM 2016 Warwick announced their Lee Sklar signature bass based on the Star Bass but with an offset body shape and a forearm contour.[9]

Selected discography

Selected albums

Selected film and television soundtracks

Selected film appearances

References

  1. ↑ Leland Sklar at AllMusic
  2. ↑ Session Players biography. Archived 2008-06-05 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed November 2008.
  3. ↑ "Father Time".
  4. ↑ "Interview: bass legend Leland Sklar on sessions, gear and getting hired". musicradar.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "Lee Sklar Signature". Dingwall Guitars. Archived from the original on 2014-05-18. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  6. ↑ "Lee Sklar is the Latest Member of the Warwick Family". bassmusicianmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  7. ↑ "Lee Sklar is the Latest Member of the Warwick Family". Bass Musician Magazine. Archived from the original on November 28, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Lee Sklar is the Latest Member of the Warwick Family". Warwick. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  9. ↑ "[NAMM] Warwick Lee Sklar Signature". audiofanzine.com. 22 January 2016. Archived from the original on 7 December 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "Albums". stevelukather.net. 2008-02-22. Archived from the original on 2011-08-30. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  • Visceglia, Mike (January 2003). "Interviews: Leland Sklar". Mike Visceglia. Archived from the original on 2006-05-16. Retrieved 2008-03-08. interview by Mike Visceglia
  • Rhythm Circle Session Players
  • Leland Sklar Interview - The Studio Musician's Handbook
  • Bass Routes - A Leland Sklar Discography Blog
  • Reggie Boyle talking with Lee Sklar!, Steve Lukather site
  • Leland Sklar at AllMusic
  • Leland Sklar on IMDb
  • Interview with Leland Sklar NAMM Oral History Library (2010)
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