You know those bass lines you can’t get out of your head – the groove in Good Vibrations, the drive behind The Beat Goes On? That’s Carol Kaye. And after decades of shaping the sound of modern music from behind the curtain, she’s finally stepping into the spotlight with a long-overdue induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
At 90 years old, Kaye receives the Musical Excellence Award in the Rock Hall’s Class of 2025. It’s a recognition that’s been a long time coming for one of the most prolific and influential bassists of all time. While names like The White Stripes, Soundgarden, and Cyndi Lauper also made the list this year, for musicians and bass nerds alike, Kaye’s induction feels especially sweet.
Carol Kaye: From Guitarist to Bass Icon
If her name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, her playing definitely will. Carol Kaye has played on more than 10,000 recordings over a career spanning six decades. Let that sink in. From The Beach Boys and Sonny & Cher to Nancy Sinatra, Elvis, and countless movie soundtracks (The Godfather, Mission: Impossible), her bass lines are embedded in the very DNA of popular music.
And the story of how she ended up on bass? Total serendipity. She was already a go-to guitarist in the L.A. session scene in the late ’50s and early ’60s. One day in 1963, a bassist didn’t show up to a session, and she picked up a Fender bass. That one moment reshaped her life—and honestly, the course of pop and rock music too.
While she’s long been revered within the music industry, Kaye was often invisible to the general public, a hidden force behind so many iconic tracks. But in recent years, more and more people have started to recognize her genius. She’s now frequently mentioned alongside the all-time bass greats—and rightly so.
Carol Kaye’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction in 2025
John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, summed it up perfectly: “Each of these inductees created their own sound and attitude that had a profound impact on culture and helped to change the course of Rock & Roll forever.” Carol Kaye didn’t just play the notes – she defined the groove for an entire era.
The 2025 Rock Hall induction ceremony will go down on November 8 at the Peacock Theater in L.A., streaming live on Disney+ and later airing on ABC and Hulu. And while the spotlight might shine on several artists that night, it’s Carol Kaye’s bass that’ll be thumping in the hearts of musicians everywhere.
Congratulations, Carol. It’s about time.
