Larry Knechtel

Lawrence William Knechtel (August 4, 1940 – August 20, 2009) was an American keyboard player and bassist who was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of Los Angeles–based session musicians who worked with such renowned artists as Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, the Beach Boys, the Mamas & the Papas, the Monkees, the Partridge Family, Billy Joel, the Doors, the Byrds, the Grass Roots, Jerry Garcia, and Elvis Presley. He also was a member of the 1970s band Bread.

Biography
Born in Bell, California, in 1940, Knechtel began his musical education with piano lessons. In 1957, he joined the Los Angeles–based rock and roll band Kip Tyler and the Flips. In August 1959, he joined instrumentalist Duane Eddy as a member of his band the Rebels. After four years on the road with the band, and continuing to work with Eddy in the recording studio, Knechtel became part of the Los Angeles session musician scene, working with Phil Spector as a pianist to help create Spector's famous "Wall of Sound". Knechtel became a prominent member of session musicians the Wrecking Crew, performing on many hit songs of the period and earning him entry into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007. During his time with the Wrecking Crew, he recorded the album The In Harmonica, playing harmonica under the name "Larry Nelson", with backing by other Wrecking Crew members.

In 1970, Knechtel won a Grammy Award for his piano work on "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel. He also played the piano on Johnny Rivers' 1972 hit "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu".

Knechtel joined soft rock band Bread in 1971 after the departure of Robb Royer and remained with the band until their split in 1973. He rejoined the band for subsequent comebacks and reunions.

Knechtel was proficient on other musical instruments, notably the harmonica, guitar, and bass, which can be heard on "Mr. Tambourine Man" by the Byrds, "Stoney End" by Barbra Streisand, "If I Can Dream" by Elvis Presley, and the Doors' debut album. In 1971, he joined the band Bread, where his contributions included bass, keyboards, and the guitar solo on the hit single "The Guitar Man". He also played on sessions for Nancy Sinatra.

During the late 1980s, Knechtel moved to Nashville, where he was signed to a solo recording contract. He released two solo albums in quick succession, Mountain Moods (1989) and Urban Gypsy (1990).

In later years, Knechtel lived in semi-retirement in Yakima, Washington, until his death. He had, however, worked with record producer Rick Rubin, contributing keyboards to albums by Neil Diamond, Arlen Roth and the Dixie Chicks, touring with Elvis Costello and with the Dixie Chicks in support of their Grammy Award-winning album Taking the Long Way. During this time, Knechtel contributed guest spots on many recordings for dozens of Northwest artists including Wayman Chapman, Ken Stringfellow (Posies, R.E.M., Big Star), Quakers On Probation, Dimestore Mystery, Elba, Animals at Night, Zera Marvel, Colin Spring, Lesley Rostron & Lovejunkie, and his son, Lonnie Knechtel.

Knechtel died on August 20, 2009, in Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, Washington, at the age of 69 of an apparent heart attack.

Awards and recognition
In 2007, Knechtel, along with the other members of the Wrecking Crew, was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.

Solo discography

 * The In Harmonica (1965, as Larry Nelson)
 * Mountain Moods (1989)
 * Urban Gypsy (1990)

Session work
With The Everly Brothers

• Beat & Soul ( Warner Brothers ,1965)

With the Byrds With the We Three Trio With Barbra Streisand With the Beach Boys With The Doors With Elvis Presley With Cher With the Dameans With Simon & Garfunkel With Solomon Burke With the Mamas and the Papas With Emitt Rhodes With Elvis Costello With Paul Simon With Chet Baker With Dave Mason With Nancy Sinatra With Albert Hammond With Howard Roberts With Cass Elliott With Evie Sands With Thelma Houston With Glen Campbell With Jerry Garcia With Peter Allen With Harry Nilsson With Dan Hill With Barry Mann With Lalo Schifrin With Roy Orbison With Jimmy Webb With José Feliciano With Jackie DeShannon With Brian Cadd With Ron Davies With Bobby Darin With Art Garfunkel With Stephen Bishop With David Clayton-Thomas With Jackie Lomax With Billy Joel With Barry McGuire With Paul Young With Dolly Parton With Al Kooper With Johnny Rivers With John Denver With Chet Atkins With Helen Reddy With Joan Baez With Arlen Roth With Neil Diamond
 * Mr. Tambourine Man (Columbia, 1965)
 * "Glory, Glory" on the album Byrdmaniax (1971)
 * The We Three Trio (Mainstream S/6055,56055, 1965)
 * Stoney End (Columbia Records, 1971)
 * Barbra Joan Streisand (Columbia Records, 1971)
 * Pet Sounds (Capitol, 1966)
 * The Doors (Elektra, 1967)
 * Elvis Presley (RCA, 1968)
 * Stars (Warner Bros. Records, 1975)
 * Walk to the Gloryland' (RCA, 1971)
 * Sounds of Silence (Columbia Records, 1966)
 * Bookends (Columbia, 1968)
 * Bridge over Troubled Water (Columbia, 1970)
 * Electronic Magnetism (MGM Records, 1971)
 * Deliver (Dunhill, Feb. 1967)
 * The Papas & The Mamas (Dunhill, 1968)
 * The American Dreams (A&M Records, 1970)
 * Mighty Like a Rose (Warner Bros. Records, 1991)
 * Kojak Variety (Warner Bros. Records, 1995)
 * Paul Simon (Columbia Records, 1972)
 * Blood, Chet and Tears (Verve, 1970)
 * Alone Together (Blue Thumb/Harvest, 1970)
 * Sugar (Reprise Records, 1966)
 * Albert Hammond (Mums Records, 1974)
 * Antelope Freeway (Impulse!, 1971)
 * Dream a Little Dream (Dunhill Records, 1968)
 * Bubblegum, Lemonade, and... Something for Mama (Dunhill Records, 1969)
 * Any Way That You Want Me (Rev-Ola, 1970)
 * Sunshower (Dunhill Records, 1969)
 * I've Got the Music in Me (Sheffield Lab Records, 1975)
 * Reunion: The Songs of Jimmy Webb (Capitol Records, 1974)
 * Unconditional Love (Liberty Records, 1991)
 * Reflections (Round Records, 1976)
 * I Could Have Been a Sailor (A&M Records, 1979)
 * Harry (RCA Victor, 1969)
 * If Dreams Had Wings (Epic Records, 1980)
 * Survivor (RCA Victor, 1975)
 * Rock Requiem (Verve, 1971)
 * King of Hearts (Virgin Records, 1992)
 * El Mirage (Atlantic Records, 1977)
 * 10 to 23 (RCA Victor, 1969)
 * Compartments (RCA Victor, 1973)
 * New Arrangement (Columbia Records, 1975)
 * Yesterdaydreams (Capitol Records, 1978)
 * Silent Song Through the Land (A&M Records, 1970)
 * If I Were a Carpenter (Atlantic Records, 1966)
 * Angel Clare (Columbia Records, 1973)
 * Fate for Breakfast (Columbia Records, 1979)
 * Scissors Cut (Columbia Records, 1981)
 * Careless (ABC Records, 1976)
 * David Clayton-Thomas (Columbia Records, 1972)
 * Is This What You Want? (Apple Records, 1969)
 * Cold Spring Harbor (Columbia Records, 1971)
 * Streetlife Serenade (Columbia Records, 1974)
 * Seeds (Myrrh, 1973)
 * Lighten Up (Myrrh, 1974)
 * The Crossing (Columbia Records, 1993)
 * 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs (RCA Records, 1980)
 * Easy Does It (Columbia Records, 1970)
 * Changes (Imperial Records, 1966)
 * Whisky Á Go-Go Revisited (Sunset Records, 1967)
 * Rewind (Imperial Records, 1967)
 * Realization (Imperial Records, 1968)
 * Slim Slo Slider (Imperial Records, 1970)
 * Home Grown (United Artists Records, 1970)
 * L.A. Reggae (United Artists Records, 1972)
 * Blue Suede Shoes (United Artists Records, 1973)
 * New Lovers and Old Friends (Epic Records, 1975)
 * Wild Night (United Artists Records, 1977)
 * Not a Through Street (CBS, 1983)
 * The Flower That Shattered the Stone (Windstar Records, 1990)
 * Read My Licks (Columbia, 1994)
 * Helen Reddy (Capitol Records, 1971)
 * Diamonds & Rust (A&M Records, 1975)
 * Gulf Winds (A&M Records, 1976)
 * Blowin' Away (Portrait Records, 1977)
 * Toolin' Around (Blue Plate, 1993, Aquinnah, 2015)
 * Tap Root Manuscript (Uni Records, 1970)
 * Beautiful Noise (Columbia Records, 1976)
 * Lovescape (Columbia Records, 1991)
 * 12 Songs (Columbia Records, 2005)