List of 40+ Famous Female Bassists
- Photo: Graham Denholm / Getty ImagesMeshell Ndegeocello, a remarkable name in the world of music, is known for her unparalleled talent as a singer-songwriter, rapper, and bassist. Born Michelle Lynn Johnson on August 29, 1968, in Berlin, Germany, she adopted her moniker, which means "free like a bird" in Swahili, early in her career. Raised in Washington D.C., she was exposed to go-go music and R&B from a young age. This early introduction to diverse musical styles would later significantly influence her music. Ndegeocello's professional music career began in earnest in the early 1990s when she signed with Maverick Records, thus becoming one of the first artists on Madonna's label. Her debut album, Plantation Lullabies, introduced her unique blend of soul, funk, hip hop, and jazz to the world, earning her three Grammy nominations. The song "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)" became an instant hit, further cementing her place in the industry. Over the following years, Ndegeocello released several critically acclaimed albums that contributed greatly to her reputation as a versatile and innovative artist. Not only is Ndegeocello recognized for her musical prowess, but she has also been a strong advocate for social issues. Openly bisexual, she addresses topics such as race, sex, and love in her lyrics and public appearances, helping to break down barriers and challenge societal norms. Additionally, Ndegeocello composed the score for the Ava DuVernay series Queen Sugar, showcasing her flexibility as a musician. Her work has had a lasting impact on the music industry and continues to inspire artists around the globe.Moreย Meshell Ndegeocello
- #113 of 165 onThe Best Rock Bassists of All Time
- #108 of 144 onThe 200+ Best Female Rappers Of All Time, Ranked
- #398 of 477 onCelebrities You Didn't Know Use Stage Names
- Michael Steele (born Susan Nancy Thomas on June 2, 1955) is an American bassist, guitarist, songwriter, and singer, best known as the bass player for the Bangles. Under the name Micki Steele, she was a founding member of the Runaways but left in 1975, shortly before the band's major label debut. For the next several years, she played with various other musical groups for short periods of time. In 1983, Steele replaced original bassist Annette Zilinskas as a member of the Bangles. Steele made her entrance just in time to play on the band's first full-length album, All Over the Place. She remained with the Bangles throughout the high point of their career, contributing as bassist, vocalist, and songwriter until the band's dissolution in 1989. She rejoined the band for a 2003 reunion album, Doll Revolution, and toured with them until the following year.
- Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984) is an American jazz bassist and singer. Spalding was raised in Portland, Oregon, and was a musical prodigy, playing violin in the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at five years old. She was later both self-taught and -trained on a number of instruments, including guitar and bass. Her proficiency earned her scholarships to Portland State University and the Berklee College of Music. In 2017, she was appointed Professor of the Practice of Music at Harvard University.She has won four Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, making her the first jazz artist to win the award.Moreย Esperanza Spalding
- #102 of 165 onThe Best Rock Bassists of All Time
- #40 of 115 onThe 100+ Best Female Jazz Singers, Ranked
- #60 of 64 onAll The Best New Artist Grammy Winners, Ranked
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / Fair useAimee Mann (born September 8, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter. Mann began her career in the 1980s as the bassist and a vocalist for 'Til Tuesday, and wrote their top-ten single "Voices Carry". She released her debut solo album, Whatever, in 1993, and has released several albums since. In 1999, Mann recorded songs for the soundtrack to the Paul Thomas Anderson film Magnolia, which earned Academy Award and Grammy Award nominations for the song "Save Me". She has won two Grammy Awards and was named one of the world's ten greatest living songwriters by NPR in 2006.Moreย Aimee Mann
- #305 of 320 onThe 300+ Best Rock Singers Of All Time, Ranked
- #156 of 203 onThe Greatest Living Rock Songwriters
- #265 of 341 onThe Best Female Vocalists Ever
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BYBorn on June 3, 1950, in Detroit, Michigan, Suzi Quatro worked her way up in the entertainment industry to become a renowned rock singer and bassist. With an early interest in music, she was roped into the music scene by her father Art Quatro, who was a semi-professional musician himself. Later, she joined "The Pleasure Seekers," an all-female band initiated by her sister Patti, before launching her solo career in the 1970s. Quatro's breakthrough came when renowned British record producer Mickie Most discovered her. In 1971, she moved to England after signing a contract with Most's RAK Records. Her first single, "Rolling Stone," may not have been a hit in the UK or US, but it topped the charts in Portugal, paving the way for an international career. The following years saw Quatro release a string of hits, including "Can the Can" and "Devil Gate Drive," both of which reached number one in the UK. By 1980, she had sold over 50 million records worldwide. In addition to her music career, Suzi Quatro also ventured into acting. She appeared in popular TV shows such as Happy Days, where she played the character Leather Tuscadero. Her charisma and talent led to multiple other roles in theater and television, showcasing her remarkable versatility. A trailblazer in many ways, Quatro smashed gender stereotypes in rock n' roll and paved the way for future female musicians. She continues to be a significant influence in the music industry, demonstrating a fierce persistence that aligns with her rock n' roll spirit.Moreย Suzi Quatro
- #287 of 1,150 onThe Greatest Musical Artists Of All Time, Ranked
- #186 of 341 onThe Best Female Vocalists Ever
- #168 of 251 onThe 250+ Best Singers Of The Last 30 Years, Ranked
- Photo: D Dipasupil / Getty ImagesMelissa Gaboriau Auf der Maur (; born March 17, 1972) is a Canadian musician, singer-songwriter, photographer and actress. Auf der Maur began performing in 1993 after forming the indie rock band Tinker while she was a student at Concordia University. She was recruited as the bassist for the American alternative rock band Hole in the summer of 1994 and is included on several Hole releases, including the album Celebrity Skin (1998). Following her departure from Hole in 1999, Auf der Maur briefly joined The Smashing Pumpkins as a touring member for its 2000 tour and began her solo career; her debut studio album, Auf der Maur, was released in 2004 on Capitol Records and her second studio album, Out of Our Minds, was released in 2010 on her own independent record label, PHIโMAdM Music. She has also collaborated with Indochine, Rufus Wainwright, Ric Ocasek and Neverending White Lights. Auf der Maur is also a photographer and occasional actress. Her photographs have been included in National Geographic and exhibited at Sotheby's. She has acted in How to Make the Cruelest Month (1998), Beyond Borders (2003) and Collaborator (2011). As part of her 2009 multidisciplinary project Out of Our Mindsโwhich produced an album, a single, a film and a comic bookโAuf der Maur acted as a film and record producer, working alongside her husband and filmmaker Tony Stone. Stone and Auf der Maur are the creative directors and owners of Basilica Hudson, an arts and performance center in Hudson, New York. VH1 placed Auf der Maur at number 68 on its list of 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll in 2007 and her solo albums have received favorable reviews.
- Kristen Marie Pfaff (May 26, 1967 โ June 16, 1994) was an American musician, best known as the bassist for alternative rock band Hole from 1993 to 1994. Prior to Hole, Pfaff was the bassist and backing vocalist for Minneapolis-based band Janitor Joe.Moreย Kristen Pfaff
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- #100 of 165 onThe Best Rock Bassists of All Time
- #153 of 218 onFamous Drug-related Deaths & Celebrity Drug Overdoses
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / Public domainGinger A. Pooley (nรฉe Reyes) is an American rock musician, best known as a bassist and backing vocalist for the Chicago alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. More recently she has played bass for Gwen Stefani and Lea Michele. She is an artist and songwriter who has released solo music under the name Ginger Sling. She was also part of the female punk band the Halo Friendlies. She has toured all over the world and her music has been placed on many television shows and films. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter where she continues to create music for various projects.
- Marya Roxx (born Maarja Kivi on 18 January 1986) is an Estonian hard rock/metal singer-songwriter residing in Los Angeles. She is a former member of Estonian girl band Vanilla Ninja.
- Photo: Ilya Savenok / Getty ImagesKim Althea Gordon (born April 28, 1953) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, visual artist, and actress. She rose to prominence in the late 1980s as a bassist, guitarist, and vocalist in the alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Born in Rochester, New York, Gordon was raised in Los Angeles, California, where her father was a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. After graduating from Los Angeles's Otis College of Art and Design, Gordon moved to New York City to begin an art career. There, she formed Sonic Youth with Thurston Moore in 1981. She and Moore married in 1984, and the band released a total of six albums on independent labels before the end of the 1980s. They would subsequently release nine studio albums on the major label DGC Records, beginning with Goo in 1990. Gordon was also a founding member of the musical project Free Kitten, which she formed with Julia Cafritz in 1993. Sonic Youth released their sixteenth and final studio album, The Eternal (2009), on Matador Records before disbanding in 2011 after Gordon and Moore separated. Following the dissolution of Sonic Youth and her divorce from Moore, Gordon formed the experimental duo Body/Head with Bill Nace, releasing their debut album Coming Apart in 2013. She subsequently formed Glitterbust with Alex Knost, releasing a self-titled debut album in 2016. Body/Head released their second studio album, The Switch, in 2018. In addition to her work as a musician, Gordon has had ventures in record producing, fashion, and acting, and has worked consistently as a visual artist throughout her musical career. She debuted as a producer on Hole's debut album Pretty on the Inside (1991), and founded the Los Angeles-based clothing line X-Girl in 1993. Beginning in the mid-2000s, Gordon began acting, making minor appearances in such films as Last Days (2005) and I'm Not There (2007), followed by guest-starring appearances on several television series. In February 2015, she published a memoir, Girl in a Band, by HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books.Moreย Kim Gordon
- #269 of 320 onThe 300+ Best Rock Singers Of All Time, Ranked
- #66 of 165 onThe Best Rock Bassists of All Time
- #159 of 248 onThe 200+ Best Rock Frontmen Of All Time, Ranked
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BYBritta Phillips (born June 11, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, actress, and voice actress. Phillips' music career spans more than 30 years. She came to prominence in the mid-1980s as the singing voice of the title character of the animated television series Jem. She has also been a member of the bands Luna and as one half of the duo Dean & Britta, both with her husband Dean Wareham, and has had a solo career which has included one studio album: Luck or Magic. Phillips has also been an actor, with roles in films, including the 1988 comedy-drama film Satisfaction.
- Robin Moulder (born April 2, 1966) is an American musician, best known as being one of the founders of the riot goth-girl group Jack Off Jill and her subsequent project, TCR. She is a bassist, pianist, and programmer.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / Public domainMartina Michรจle Weymouth (born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and author, best known as a founding member and bassist of the new wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club, which she co-founded with husband and Talking Heads drummer, Chris Frantz. In 2002, Weymouth was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Talking Heads.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY-SA-2.0Atsuko Yamano (ๅฑฑ้ ๆฆๅญ, Yamano Atsuko) (February 22, 1964) is a founding member of the Japanese rock trio Shonen Knife. When the band was first started, Atsuko played drums and provided backup vocals. A former fashion designer, she was also responsible for designing the band's stage outfits. After the departure of Michie Nakatani, Atsuko switched from drummer to bassist. Atsuko eventually retired from the band to marry, and moved to Los Angeles. In 2015, following a haitus from the band, she returned to an active role within Shonen Knife โ playing bass guitar on studio albums and joining the band on international tours outside Japan.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY-SA-2.0Lacey Nicole Sturm (nรฉe Mosley, previously Carder) is an American singer and songwriter born in Homestead, Florida; and raised in Arlington, Texas. She is a co-founder and former lead vocalist of the hard rock band Flyleaf. In February 2016, Sturm became the first solo female to top the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart with her debut release.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BYGail Ann Dorsey (born November 20, 1962) is an American musician. With a long career as a session musician mainly on bass guitar, she is perhaps best known for her lengthy residency in David Bowie's band, from 1995 to Bowie's death in 2016. Aside from playing bass, she sang lead vocals on live versions of "Under Pressure" (taking the part originally sung by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury) and dueted with Bowie on other songs, including "The London Boys", "Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)", "I Dig Everything", accompanying Bowie on clarinet, and a cover of Laurie Anderson's "O Superman". From 1993 to 1996, Dorsey recorded and toured with Tears for Fears, and collaborated on songwriting with the band. She appeared in several of the band's promo videos throughout this period. Her diverse range of work includes performances and recordings with, among others, The National, Lenny Kravitz, Bryan Ferry, Boy George, the Indigo Girls, Khaled, Jane Siberry, The The, Skin, Gwen Stefani, Charlie Watts, Seal, Gang of Four, Susan Werner, Ani DiFranco and Dar Williams. In addition, Dorsey has released three solo albums: The Corporate World (1988), Rude Blue (1992), and I Used To Be... (2003).
- D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky-Brown (born May 1, 1968) is an American musician. She is the original bass player of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins and is credited on their first five studio albums. She left the band in 1999.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BYKimberley Ann Deal (born June 10, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to prominence as bassist and co-vocalist in the alternative rock band the Pixies, before forming the Breeders in 1989. Deal joined the Pixies in January 1986, adopting the stage name Mrs. John Murphy for the albums Come on Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa. Following Doolittle and the Pixies' hiatus, she formed the Breeders with Tanya Donelly, Josephine Wiggs, and Britt Walford. Following the band's debut album Pod, her twin sister Kelley Deal joined, replacing Tanya Donelly. The Pixies broke up in early 1993, and Deal returned her focus to the Breeders, who released the platinum-selling album Last Splash in 1993, with the hit single "Cannonball". In 1994, the Breeders went into hiatus after her sister Kelley entered drug rehabilitation. During the band's hiatus, Deal adopted the stage name Tammy Ampersand and formed the short-lived rock band the Amps, recording a single album, Pacer in 1995. After her own stint in drug rehabilitation, Deal eventually reformed the Breeders with a new line-up for the two more albums, Title TK in 2002 and Mountain Battles in 2008. During that time she would also return to the Pixies when the band reunited in 2004. In 2013, Deal announced she was leaving the Pixies to concentrate on making new material with the Breeders, after the band's most famous line-up (Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson had rejoined the band for the first time since 1995) had reunited for a new series of tours celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band's hit album Last Splash. In 2018, the Breeders released their fifth album All Nerve, the first album to reunite the band's most famous line-up (Kim and Kelley, Josephine Wiggs, and Jim Macpherson) since the release of 1993's Last Splash.Moreย Kim Deal
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- #56 of 165 onThe Best Rock Bassists of All Time
- #121 of 140 onThe 100+ Best Female Rock Singers, Ranked
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY-SA-2.0Kathryn Valentine (born January 7, 1959) is an American musician (guitar and bass) and songwriter. She made music history as a member of the Go-Go's, the first all-female band to have a #1 album in the U.S. She has maintained a career in music through songwriting, recording, performing and touring as well as additional academic and creative pursuits.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY-SA-2.0Naoko Yamano (ๅฑฑ้็ดๅญ, Yamano Naoko, born December 18, 1960) is a musician and founder of the Japanese rock trio all-female band Shonen Knife.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BYSean Yseult (born Shauna Reynolds; June 6, 1966) is an American rock musician. She currently plays bass in the band Star & Dagger. She has played various instruments with different bands over the years, and is best known for playing bass in White Zombie.
- Photo: user uploaded imageJacqueline Louise Fuchs is an American attorney and former musician. Under her stage name Jackie Fox, she played bass guitar for the pioneering all-girl teenage rock band the Runaways. She is the sister of screenwriter Carol Fuchs and sister-in-law of Castle Rock Entertainment co-founder Martin Shafer.
- Photo: user uploaded image / user uploaded imageCarol Kaye (nee Smith, born March 24, 1935) is an American musician, who is one of the most prolific recorded bass guitarists in rock and pop music, playing on an estimated 10,000 recordings in a career spanning over 50 years.Kaye began playing guitar in her early teens and after some time as a guitar teacher, began to perform regularly on the Los Angeles jazz and big band circuit. She started session work in 1957, and through a connection at Gold Star Studios began working for producers Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. After a bassist failed to turn up to a session in 1963, she switched to that instrument, quickly making a name for herself as one of the most in-demand session players of the 1960s, playing on numerous hits. She moved into playing on film soundtracks in the late 1960s, particularly for Quincy Jones and Lalo Schifrin, and began to release a series of tutoring books such as How To Play The Electric Bass. Kaye became less active towards the end of the 1970s, but has continued her career and attracted praise from other musicians. During the peak of her years of session work, she became part of a stable of Los Angeles-based musicians which went by a variety of informal names, but has since become known as "The Wrecking Crew". Her work with the group led to her prominent role in the eponymous 2008 documentary film.
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- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / Public domainOrin O'Brien (born 1935) is an American double bassist. She has been a member of the New York Philharmonic since joining in 1966 under the direction of Leonard Bernstein; she was the first woman to join the orchestra. She currently teaches at the Juilliard School (where she was co-chair of the double bass department from 1992 to 2002), Manhattan School of Music, and Mannes College The New School for Music. O'Brien is also currently on the Preparatory Division faculty at the Manhattan School.
- Rea Mochiach is a film score composer, percussionist and bassist.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BYBrandi Disterheft (born 1980) is a Canadian bassist and composer.
- Kat Marsh is a musician, songwriter, record producer and bassist.
- Photo: Metaweb (FB) / Public domainJeanne Sagan (born January 11, 1979 in Springfield, Massachusetts) is an American musician. She is the bassist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal band Crossing Rubicon, but is best known as the former bassist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal-metalcore band All That Remains from 2006 to 2015. Before joining All That Remains, she was bassist in the band The Acacia Strain in 2003. In 2006, she was asked to join All That Remains after bassist Matt Deis left the band. She originally worked merchandise tables for Prosthetic Records. As of November 2012, Sagan plays a black cherry Spector Legend 4 Classic four-string bass with EMG 35DC active pickups, and Ampeg SVT bass amplifiers. She is a former Ibanez player, using both Soundgear 4-strings and an ARTB100 four-string, the latter of which can be seen in the music video for the song "Hold On" from the album For We Are Many. She uses Orange amplifiers and Omega speaker cabinets. In October 2015, Sagan announced her amicable departure from All That Remains in order to pursue personal interests. She was replaced by Aaron "Bubble" Patrick, formerly of the band Bury Your Dead. She currently plays bass/backing vocals in Crossing Rubicon, and as of 2017, is recording a brand new album with the band, who is also fronted by her husband, Scotty Anarchy.
- Photo: user uploaded imageKittie (stylized as KiTTiE) is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in London, Ontario in 1996. They have released six studio albums, one video album, four extended plays, thirteen singles, and thirteen music videos. The band chose "Kittie" as their band name because the name "seemed contradictory".Kittie formed in 1996 when Fallon Bowman and Mercedes Lander met in gym class. Morgan Lander became the lead vocalist and one of Kittie's guitarists and Tanya Candler completed the band's lineup on bass. After signing to NG Records, Kittie released their debut album Spit, which was certified gold by the RIAA and sold at least 600,000 copies in the United States. The band released Oracle in 2001 and Until the End in 2004. In 2005, Kittie parted ways with Artemis Records and created their own label. The band released Funeral for Yesterday in 2007 and signed to E1 Music in 2009. The band released In the Black in 2009 and I've Failed You in 2011. In 2014, Kittie made a documentary as a 20th anniversary of the band. Kittie has been categorized under multiple genres of rock music, especially heavy metal genres, including death metal, nu metal, and alternative metal. Originally a nu metal band, Kittie changed their style later, using elements of genres such as black metal and death metal.
