| Tommy Cogbill | |
| Background: | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth Name: | Thomas Clark Cogbill |
| Birth Date: | 8 April 1932 |
| Birth Place: | Johnson Grove, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Instrument: | Bass guitar, guitar |
| Genre: | Soul music, R&B, country music |
| Occupation: | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
Thomas Clark Cogbill (April 8, 1932 – December 7, 1982) was an American bassist, guitarist and record producer known for his work in R&B, soul and country music.
Cogbill was born in Johnson Grove, Tennessee. He was a highly sought-after session and studio musician who appeared on many now-classic recordings of the 1960s and 1970s, especially those recorded in Nashville, Memphis and Muscle Shoals. He has been credited as an influence by many bass guitarists, including Jerry Jemmott & Jaco Pastorius. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Cogbill worked as a record producer at American Sound Studio in Memphis[1] and was part of the studio's house rhythm section, known as the Memphis Boys.[2]
One of the best-known recordings featuring his bassline was Dusty Springfield's 1969 hit "Son of a Preacher Man", produced by Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd.[3] Other major artists he recorded with include King Curtis, Joe Tex, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin (Cogbill played the bassline on "Chain of Fools"), Dobie Gray, Kris Kristofferson, J. J. Cale, Wilson Pickett (Cogbill played the bassline on "Funky Broadway"), Chuck Berry, Dolly Parton, Bob Seger, and Neil Diamond.[4] He also played bass on King Curtis's single "Memphis Soul Stew" in 1967.[4] He also played bass on "Everlasting Love" by Carl Carlton, a hit in 1974.
Cogbill died of a stroke on December 7, 1982, in Nashville,[5] aged 50.
| Song title | Title | Date | US charts | R&B charts | British charts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land of 1000 Dances | Wilson Pickett | May 11, 1966 | 6 | 1 | 22 |
| Mustang Sally | Wilson Pickett | October 13, 1966 | 23 | 6 | 28 |
| I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) | Aretha Franklin | October 13, 1966 | 9 | 1 | |
| Do Right Woman, Do Right Man | Aretha Franklin | January 24, 1967 | |||
| Funky Broadway | Wilson Pickett | February 1, 1967 | 8 | 1 | 43 |
| Respect | Aretha Franklin | February 14, 1967 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman | Aretha Franklin | February 17, 1967 | 8 | 2 | |
| Baby I Love You | Aretha Franklin | 1967 | 4 | 1 | 39 |
| Chain Of Fools | Aretha Franklin | July 8, 1967 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| I’m in Love | Wilson Pickett | July 1, 1967 | 4 | ||
| Memphis Soul Stew | King Curtis | July 5, 1967 | 33 | 6 | |
| (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone | Aretha Franklin | December 16, 1967 | 5 | 1 | 47 |
| Think | Aretha Franklin | April 15, 1968 | 7 | 1 | 26 |
| Suspicious Minds | Elvis Presley | January, 1969 | 1 | ||
| Soul Deep | The Box Tops | June 1969 | 18 | - | 22 |