Andy Simpkins

Andrew Simpkins (April 29, 1932 – June 2, 1999) was an American jazz bassist.

Born in Richmond, Indiana, he first became known as a member of the group The Three Sounds, with which he performed from 1956 to 1968. After that, until 1974, he was a member of pianist George Shearing's group, and from 1979 to 1989 toured with singer Sarah Vaughan. Throughout and after that time, during which he settled in Los Angeles, Simpkins became respected as a top-quality bassist and widely known as a solid and reliable studio musician. He performed with singers Carmen McRae and Anita O'Day, instrumentalists Gerald Wiggins, Monty Alexander, Buddy DeFranco, Don Menza, and Stéphane Grappelli, and many others. He recorded three albums as a leader. He also played acoustic bass on the 1997 covers album In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy by artist Pat Boone.

Simpkins died of stomach cancer in Los Angeles.

Discography
With The Three Sounds With Pat Boone With Kenny Burrell With Benny Carter With Natalie Cole With Teddy Edwards With Victor Feldman With Barbara Morrison With Robert Palmer With Lalo Schifrin '''With George Shearing and Stéphane Grappelli With Mary Stallings With The Temptations With Toni Tennille With Sarah Vaughan With Joe Williams and George Shearing
 * 1958: Introducing the 3 Sounds
 * 1958: Branching Out with Nat Adderley
 * 1959: Bottoms Up!
 * 1959: LD + 3 with Lou Donaldson
 * 1959: Good Deal
 * 1960: Moods
 * 1960: Feelin' Good
 * 1960: Here We Come
 * 1960: It Just Got to Be
 * 1960: Blue Hour with Stanley Turrentine
 * 1961: Hey There
 * 1961: Babe's Blues
 * 1962: Out of This World
 * 1962: Black Orchid
 * 1962: Blue Genes
 * 1962: Anita O'Day & the Three Sounds with Anita O'Day
 * 1963: The Three Sounds Play Jazz on Broadway
 * 1963: Some Like It Modern
 * 1964: Live at the Living Room
 * 1964: Three Moods
 * 1965: Beautiful Friendship
 * 1966: Today's Sounds
 * 1966: Vibrations
 * 1967: Live at the Lighthouse
 * 1968: Coldwater Flat
 * 1968: Elegant Soul
 * 1998: Standards
 * In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy (Hip-O, 1997)
 * Up the Street, 'Round the Corner, Down the Block (Fantasy, 1974)
 * Heritage (AudioSource, 1980)
 * My Kind of Trouble (Pablo, 1989)
 * Unforgettable... with Love (Elektra, 1991)
 * Blue Saxophone (Verve, 1993)
 * Merry Olde Soul (Riverside, 1961)
 * Visit Me (Chartmaker, 1999)
 * Ridin' High (EMI, 1992)
 * Ins and Outs (Palo Alto, 1982)
 * The Reunion (MPS, 1976)
 * Spectrum (Concord, 1996)
 * For Lovers Only (Motown, 1995)
 * More Than You Know (Mirage, 1984)
 * Do It Again (USA Music Group, 1988)
 * The Duke Ellington Songbook, Vol. 1 (Pablo, 1979)
 * Copacabana (Pablo, 1979)
 * Send in the Clowns (Pablo, 1981)
 * Crazy and Mixed Up (Pablo, 1982)
 * Gershwin Live! (Columbia, 1982)
 * The Heart and Soul of Joe Williams and George Shearing (Sheba, 1971)