Anthony Jackson, the legendary session bassist and creator of the electric contrabass guitar, has died at 73 after battling Parkinson’s disease. Renowned for his distinctive opening bass line on The O’Jays’ “For the Love of Money,” Jackson enjoyed a prolific career working with artists like Buddy Rich, Chaka Khan, Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Diana Ross, and Paul Simon. Notably, Jackson was the bassist in Simon & Garfunkel’s backing band during their iconic 1981 Central Park concert, which drew an estimated audience of over 500,000 people. Jackson is widely considered one of the most talented bass players of his generation, and during his celebrated career he revolutionized the bass guitar by inventing the electric six-string contrabass, which was tuned in fourths instead of the standard tuning of one octave below a guitar. His unique creation expanded the instrument’s sonic range and pushed the boundaries of its sonic influence within modern music. (Consequence of Sound)
