How a session musician became the heartbeat of over two thousand iconic albums
In short: Leland Sklar is the bassist you have heard thousands of times without knowing his name. From James Taylor to Phil Collins, his career defines the sound of the 1970s and beyond. But his path to becoming an industry titan began with a burnt-out child prodigy and a discarded upright bass.
Born in 1947, Sklar was a classically trained piano prodigy who won awards by age seven. By twelve, he was exhausted by the pressure of formal training. A pivot occurred in junior high when his orchestra teacher redirected him to the upright bass. This transition was cemented in the mid-1960s as the rise of amplified instruments rendered his acoustic bass obsolete, forcing him to embrace the electric bass that would define his professional life.
Sklar’s rise to prominence was fueled by the collaborative culture of the 1970s Los Angeles music scene. As a member of the backing band for James Taylor, he and his peers—collectively known as The Section—became the go-to rhythm section for the era’s most influential singer-songwriters. This period marked a shift in industry standards; producer Peter Asher insisted on crediting session musicians, elevating players like Sklar from anonymous studio hands to recognizable, high-profile performers. This visibility allowed Sklar to build a career spanning over 2,000 recordings, ranging from rock fusion to television soundtracks.
His technical approach is as distinct as his signature beard. Sklar’s primary studio instrument, a custom-built bass he calls Frankenstein, has been the foundation for the vast majority of his recorded output. Beyond his studio work, Sklar has maintained a relentless touring schedule, performing with artists including Toto and Phil Collins. Even as the industry shifted toward digital production, Sklar remained a fixture, eventually leveraging the COVID-19 pandemic to launch a YouTube channel that documents his expansive career and deep appreciation for music history.
Today, Sklar is recognized not just for his technical precision but for his enduring influence on the craft of bass playing. Inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2026, he remains an active participant in the industry, continuing to perform and mentor. His journey from a disillusioned music student to a foundational figure in modern music illustrates the power of networking and the evolution of the session musician's role in the recording studio.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Leland Sklar
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