We have sad news to share today as bassist and songwriter Bill Salter has passed away. He was 88 years old.
Salter was born and raised in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood and studied at the city’s High School of the Performing Arts. His first professional gig in music was as the bassist for American folk legend Pete Seeger, but he would go on to play with notable artists such as Herbie Mann, Mary Lou Williams, Leon Thomas, and Horace Silver, among others.
“Prior to getting involved with music, I was just another kid on the block, without knowing who I was,” he said in a StoryCorps feature for NPR. He then said that carrying the large upright bass down the street gave him confidence. “I walked like I was somebody special. I would walk down the street with the bass on my back and people would just stand back. And with that bass, I’ve been able to get as far as I’ve gotten.”…