Chuck Berghofer

Charles Curtis Berghofer (born June 14, 1937) is an American double bassist and electric bassist, who has worked in jazz and as a session musician in the film industry for more than 60 years, including working on more than 400 movie soundtracks.

Early life
Chuck Berghofer was born in Denver, Colorado, and moved with his family to Arcadia, California when he was eight. With a lineage of musicians in the family (his grandfather had played with John Philip Sousa, and his uncle played tuba with the Saint Louis Symphony), Berghofer took interest in music at an early age, playing trumpet at the age of eight. He also played the tuba in grade school and high school until moving to the double bass at the age of 18. As a young adult, as he began venturing out to jazz night clubs, he came to admire bassist Ralph Peña and was able to persuade Peña to take him on as a student.

According to Berghofer, he always felt as though his music was heavily influenced by Leroy Vinnegar, Paul Chambers and Ray Brown. He also admired the work of Scott LaFaro and told musician and journalist Gordon Jack, "The best soloist on the instrument was Red Mitchell ... I loved to hear him solo."

Professional career
Two years after he took up the bass, Berghofer, joined an orchestra, led by Skinnay Ennis for a tour of the midwest and then joined with Bobby Troup. As his career progressed he eventually replaced his former tutor, Peña, in a duo with Pete Jolly, which later expanded into a trio with the addition of drummer Nick Martinis. In the 1960s he became a member of Shelly Manne's band, taking on a bassist position at Manne's night club Shelly's Manne-Hole, and had the opportunity to play alongside numerous leading jazz musicians of the era, including Jack Sheldon, Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Philly Joe Jones. During this time, he also recorded with popular singers such as Elvis Presley and The Everly Brothers.

He was a member of the Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra around 1967 when Frank Zappa recorded the orchestral parts for Lumpy Gravy.

With his lengthy career in film, Berghofer was also quite accomplished as a house jazz musician. He formed a semi-regular house band at Donte's in Los Angeles with pianist Frank Strazzeri and drummer Nick Ceroli and was videotaped playing with Roger Kellaway and drummer Larry Bunker as they backed Zoot Sims. Among others he accompanied were Ray Charles, Bob Cooper, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Peggy Lee, Shelly Manne, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Frank Rosolino, Seth MacFarlane, and Frank Sinatra.

In 2019, Berghofer, along with fellow Wrecking Crew members Don Randi and Don Peake and in conjunction with Denny Tedesco (producer and director of the 2008 film The Wrecking Crew), performed around the Los Angeles area with their The Wrecking Crew's Farewell to Glen Campbell live shows.

Film, television, and popular music
As Berghofer made his career as a jazz musician, he landed a prominent role recording with Nancy Sinatra in "These Boots Are Made For Walkin". He also worked on television with Glen Campbell, recorded with Frank Sinatra, and played with Barbra Streisand, in which they did a recording of Funny Lady. His extensive film work led to his being awarded in the mid-1980s the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Award as the most valuable bass player for four consecutive years. In that decade he recorded with Mel Tormé and later recorded again with Sinatra on Duets. During his career, Berghofer has performed on over 400 movie soundtracks. Just a few of the films he has worked on include Rocky II (1979), The Majestic (2001), Sing (2016), and Clint Eastwood's Bird (1988). He also worked on such television shows as Barney Miller (on which he played the opening bassline), Charlie's Angels, The Carol Burnett Show, The Simpsons and Star Trek: Enterprise. His bassline on Barney Miller inspired Cliff Burton to learn how to play bass.

Discography
With Christina Aguilera With Paul Anka With Hoyt Axton With The Beach Boys With George Benson With Mary J. Blige With Debby Boone With Michael Bublé With Vanessa Carlton With Rosemary Clooney With Adam Cohen With Natalie Cole With Ry Cooder With Rita Coolidge With Bobby Darin With Matt Dusk With The Everly Brothers With Rebecca Ferguson With Melody Gardot With Vince Gill With Josh Groban With B.B. King and Diane Schuur With Carole King With Irene Kral With Diana Krall With Peggy Lee With Seth MacFarlane With Melissa Manchester With Barry Manilow With Shelly Manne With Martina McBride With Paul McCartney With Carmen McRae With Bette Midler With Liza Minnelli With Joni Mitchell With Michael Nesmith With Tom Netherton With Aaron Neville With Steve Perry With Ruth Price and Shelly Manne With Emitt Rhodes With Howard Roberts With Diana Ross With Seal With Diane Schuur With Blake Shelton With Zoot Sims With Nancy Sinatra With The Singers Unlimited With Rod Stewart With Barbra Streisand With Toni Tennille With Sarah Vaughan With Dionne Warwick With Robbie Williams With Trisha Yearwood
 * My Kind of Christmas (RCA Records, 2000)
 * Songs Of December (Decca Records, 2012)
 * My Griffin Is Gone (Columbia, 1969)
 * Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) (Capitol, 1965)
 * Pet Sounds (Capitol, 1966)
 * Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole (Concord Records, 2013)
 * Mary (MCA Records, 1999)
 * A Mary Christmas (Verve, 2013)
 * Reflections of Rosemary (Concord, 2005)
 * Call Me Irresponsible (Reprise Records, 2007)
 * Christmas (Reprise Records, 2011)
 * To Be Loved (Reprise Records, 2013)
 * Love (Reprise Records, 2018)
 * Higher (Reprise Records, 2022)
 * Be Not Nobody (A&M, 2002)
 * For the Duration (Concord Records, 1991)
 * Still on the Road (Concord Records, 1994)
 * Dedicated to Nelson (Concord Records, 1996)
 * White Christmas (Concord Records, 1996)
 * Brazil (Concord Records, 2000)
 * Adam Cohen (Columbia Records, 1998)
 * Stardust (Elektra Records, 1996)
 * Still Unforgettable (Atco Records, 2008)
 * Jazz (Warner Bros., 1978)
 * And So Is Love (Paddle Wheel, 2005)
 * Venice Blue (Capitol Records, 1965)
 * Back in Town (Decca Records, 2006)
 * In Our Image (Warner Bros., 1966)
 * The Everly Brothers Sing (Warner Bros., 1967)
 * Lady Sings the Blues (RCA Records, 2015)
 * Sunset in the Blue (Decca Records, 2020)
 * Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection (MCA Records, 1998)
 * Stages (Reprise Records, 2015)
 * Heart to Heart (GRP, 1994)
 * A Holiday Carole (Concord, 2011)
 * Wonderful Life (Mainstream, 1965)
 * When I Look in Your Eyes (Verve Records, 1999)
 * In the Name of Love (Capitol, 1964)
 * No One Ever Tells You (Republic 2015)
 * If My Heart Had Wings (Atlantic Records, 1995)
 * Manilow Sings Sinatra (Arista Records, 1998)
 * Live! Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole (Contemporary, 1961)
 * Shelly Manne & His Men Play Checkmate (Contemporary, 1961)
 * It's the Holiday Season (Broken Bow Records, 2018)
 * Kisses on the Bottom (Hear Music, 2012)
 * Can't Hide Love (Blue Note, 1976)
 * Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook (Columbia Records, 2003)
 * Gently (Angel Records, 1996)
 * Both Sides Now (Reprise Records, 2000)
 * Travelogue (Nonesuch Records, 2002)
 * The Wichita Train Whistle Sings (Dot Records, 1968)
 * Just As I Am (Word, 1976)
 * The Grand Tour (A&M Records, 1993)
 * Traces (Fantasy, 2018)
 * Ruth Price with Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole (Contemporary, 1961)
 * The American Dreams (A&M Records, 1970)
 * Whatever's Fair! (Capitol Records, 1966)
 * Take Me Higher (Motown, 1995)
 * Standards (Decca Records, 2017)
 * Love Songs (GRP, 1993)
 * Music Is My Life (Atlantic Records, 1999)
 * Friends for Schuur (Concord Records, 2000)
 * Midnight (Concord Records, 2003)
 * Cheers, It's Christmas (Warner Bros. Records, 2012)
 * Quietly There: Zoot Sims Plays Johnny Mandel (Pablo, 1984)
 * Boots (Reprise Records, 1966)
 * Sugar (Reprise Records, 1966)
 * Nancy (Reprise Records, 1969)
 * Friends (Pausa, 1977)
 * Merry Christmas, Baby (Verve Records, 2012)
 * The Movie Album (Columbia Records, 2003)
 * What Matters Most (Columbia Records, 2011)
 * Partners (Columbia Records, 2014)
 * Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway (Columbia Records, 2016)
 * All of Me (Gaia Records, 1987)
 * Sarah Vaughan with Michel Legrand (Mainstream Records, 1972)
 * Dionne Warwick Sings Cole Porter (Arista Records, 1990)
 * Swing When You're Winning (Chrysalis Records, 2001)
 * Let's Be Frank (Gwendolyn, 2018)

Filmography
An incomplete list of his music and film credits.