There have been many bass solos included in rock, funk and jazz but only in pop music has the bass guitar solo stood alone as a piece of music which could have inspired me to take Piano Lessons at Pianoforall and for me to do this Rocket Piano Review. The first pop musician in England to own and play an electric bass guitar was Jet Harris. He found fame and fortune with The Shadows, Cliff Richard’s backing group who were trying to make their own way in pop music as a vocal and instrumental group. Harris played on the band’s early instrumental hits featuring the lead guitar of Hank Marvin but decided to try to make it as a soloist like America’s Duane Eddy.
Jet Harris’ first big hit as a solo guitarist was in 1962 with his rendition of the 1940 song Besame Mucho. The throbbing notes of the six string bass turned a poignant love song into an instrumental work full of menace. Probably inspired by their former band member’s success, The Shadows released another six string bass solo called Stingray as a single in 1965.
