Renowned session musician Joe Osborn has died age 81, following a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Osborn was a member of the infamous Wrecking Crew band – a group of elite session musicians who frequently worked with Phil Spector, Beach Boys, the Monkees and more.
The bassist worked on a wide array of famous tracks, including but not limited to Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and ‘The Only Living Boy in New York’, the Mamas & the Papas’ ‘California Dreamin”, Neil Diamond’s ‘Holly Holy’, The Carpenter’s ‘Close to You’, and Neil Young’s ‘Sail Away’.
Denny Tedesco, son of the later Wrecking Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco and the director behind 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew, confirmed that Louisiana-born Osborn had passed away on 14th December.
Osborn’s first gig was as a member of Ricky Nelson’s backing band, notably appearing on the singer’s 1961 hit, ‘Travelin’ Man’.
Three years later he moved to Los Angeles and was recruited by Lou Adler and Bones Howe to join the Wrecking Crew.
Photo by Redferns
