Top 5: Unsung backing bands

By | Friday, October 24, 2008

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The Cardinals became such an integral part of singer-songwriter Ryan Adams' sound that they now get co-billing on both tours and albums. (They have a new one of the latter, "Cardinology," coming out Tuesday.) Many backing bands are forever joined to the hip of their frontmen (Buddy Holly's Crickets, Elvis Costello's Attractions, Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, Prince's Revolution). Sometimes they even have taken on a distinct life of their own. (Long live the Funk Brothers!) Others are lost to time — bands in an hourglass, you might say.

1. Blue Moon Boys — Their eventual solo frontman — Elvis Presley — got all the name recognition, but guitarist Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black and drummer D.J. Fontana combined to be one of rock's foundational bands. The basic vocabulary of the sound is all here: the swinging backbeat, the bluesy riffs and the gritty guitars.

2. Hi Rhythm Section — If songs like "Let's Stay Together" ever lent you romantic success, you have these gents to thank. A cornerstone of Memphis soul, drummers Howard Grimes and Al Jackson Jr. (also of another storied Memphis band, the M.G.s) and the brothers Hodges (Teenie, guitar; Charles, organ; Leroy, bass) created the sonic magic for hits by Al Green, Ann Peebles and Otis Clay.

3. The Dominos — "Derek" was, of course, Eric Clapton, with whom the Dominos made only one album, the masterpiece "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs." But drummer Jim Gordon, bassist Carl Radle and keyboardist Bobby Whitlock made tremendous contributions to other artists, including Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett and George Harrison.

4. Elton John Band — Never officially dubbed as such (at least not on album covers or spines), drummer Nigel Olsson, bassist Dee Murray and guitarist Davey Johnstone nevertheless formed the nucleus of Mr. John's best work, including "Tumbleweed Connection," "Madman Across the Water" and "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player."

5. The Grease Band — Best known for work on Joe Cocker hits like his cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends," the group — guitarists Henry McCullough and Neil Hubbard, bassist Alan Spenner, drummer Bruce Rowland and keyboardist Chris Stainton — also made two criminally overlooked albums, a self-titled 1971 album and 1975's "Amazing Grease."

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