James Jamerson Jr. (born James L. Jamerson III; August 24, 1957 – March 23, 2016)[1] was an American bass player and noted studio musician. During his over three-decades long career he recorded with Bob Dylan, Tavares, The Temptations, and many more.
Jamerson Jr. was born in Detroit to legendary session bass player James Jamerson, a cornerstone member of Motown's famed house band, The Funk Brothers.[2]
In the early 1970s, Jamerson, Jr. became an in-demand session bassist. In the next three decades he played on the studio albums by Janet Jackson, Smokey Robinson, and Aretha Franklin, to name a few.[3]
In the late 1970s, he formed a studio disco group, Chanson, along with guitarist David Williams. Their only charted single, "Don't Hold Back" reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979 and No. 18 in Canada.[4]
Jamerson died in Detroit on March 23, 2016, at age 58. He had suffered for years with ankylosing spondylitis.[2] [5]
With Tavares
With Sylvester
With High Inergy
With The Crusaders with B.B. King and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
With Janet Jackson
With DeBarge
With Smokey Robinson
With Teena Marie
With The Temptations
With Philip Bailey
With Bob Dylan
With Aretha Franklin
With Wayne Kramer