Bob Bushnell
Robert C. Bushnell is an American bass player and guitarist who has appeared on dozens of albums and singles as a studio musician, including, Bobby Lewis's hit "Tossin' and Turnin'", "My Boyfriend's Back" by The Angels, "Under the Boardwalk" by The Drifters and the remixed hit version of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence".
Bushnell was born in West Philadelphia and attended Sulzberger Junior High School where he first learned how to play bass fiddle. He graduated from West Philadelphia High School in 1945 and left for New York City shortly thereafter. He played occasionally with Jimmy Heath's band in the late 1940s, coinciding with John Coltrane.
He played in the first house band at Philadelphia's Club 421, a lineup led by Charlie Rice, and featuring Vance Wilson, Red Garland, and Johnny Hughes. He went on to become a member of Louis Jordan's bands. In 1952, he married the band's vocalist, Elaine Dash Robinson, with whom he later formed a group.
As a studio musician, he has appeared on albums by such artists as Tom Rush, Janis Ian, Gene Ammons, Jimmy Smith, Nina Simone, Ian & Sylvia, Tim Hardin, Van Morrison and many others.Discography
As sideman
