This thread about movies with the most famous actors in them, and a couple of albums that came up on my iPod recently, got me to thinking about this. Which albums by a single artist or group have had the most guest artists?
I can think of a few albums that have five or six guest artists, but nothing that compares to Warren Zevon’s last album “The Wind”. Just glancing through the liner notes, there’s Ry Cooder, Don Henley, Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakim, Bruce Springsteen, Tommy Shaw, John Waite, David Lindley, Timothy B Schmidt, Jackson Browne, T-Bone Burnett, Tom Petty, and Joe Walsh. That’s quite an impressive line-up.
The Last Waltz by the Band: in addition to the group, there was Ronnie Hawkins, Dr. John, Neil Young, the Staple Singers, Neal Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Emmylou Harris, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Ron Wood, and Ringo Star.
We Are The World, which contained actors too. Technically, USA for Africa was a single entity, consisting of Jackson/Ritchie. The title song was written/produced by four people and the rest were considered “contributors,” or guests.
Dave Grohl - Drums, Lap Steel,
Nels Cline - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Lead Guitar, Nylon Guitar
Eddie Vedder - Guitar, Lead Vocals, Background Vocals
J Mascis - Guitar, Drums
Cris Kirkwood - Banjo
Curt Kirkwood - Lead Guitar
Gary Lee Connor - Lead Guitar
Krist Novoselic - Farfisa Organ
Carla Bozulich - Vocals, Background Vocals
Michael Preussner - Drums
Joe Baiza - Guitar
Paul Roessler - Piano
Danny Frankel - Percussion
Spot - Mandolin, Viola
Evan Dando - Vocals
Bob Lee - Drums
Zander Schloss - Guitar
John Strohm - Guitar
Anna Waronker - Background Vocals
Petra Haden - Background Vocals, Violin
Rachel Haden - Background Vocals
Frank Black - Vocals
Keith McCaw - Acoustic Guitar
Stephen Perkins - Percussion, Drums
Thurston Moore - Guitar
Lee Ranaldo - Guitar
Steve Shelley - Drums
Epic Soundtracks - Tambourine
Henry Rollins - Vocals
Wayne Griffin - Drums
Butler - Guitar
Mark Lanegan - Vocals
Brock Avery - Drums
Todd Rigione - Guitar
Michael Diamond - Vocals
Tony Atherton - Alto Saxophone
Coco Hayley Gordon Moore - Background Vocals
Flea - Lead Bass, Pocket Trumpet
John Molo - Drums
Vince Meghrouni - Percussion, Background Vocals, Vocals, Drums, Tenor Saxophone
Pat Smear - Vocals
Dave Pirner - Vocals
Tiffany Anders - Vocals
Richie West - Drums
Kathleen Hanna - Spoken Word
Bernie Worrell - B3 Organ
Adam Horovitz - Drums, Guitar, Background Vocals
Ronda Rindone - Bass Clarinet
Mario Caldato Jr. - Background Vocals
Tony Maxwell - Cello
In that vein, there’s also The Concert for Bangladesh.
For studio albums The Howlin Wolf London Sessions included Wolf and Herbert Sumlin, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ian Stewart, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Klaus Voorman, and Ringo Starr.
BB King in London features B. B. King, Ringo Starr, Peter Green, Alexis Korner, Jim Price, Bobby Keys, Gary Wright, Klaus Voorman, Duster Bennett, Steve Marriott, Greg Ridley, Pete Wingfield, Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, Dr John, David Spinozza, and
Steve Winwood.
I don’t think these will compete with those already listed, but:
Jefferson Starship’s Blows Against the Empire – Besides Paul Kantner and Grace Slick, there was Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, Joey Covington, Jack Casady, David Crosby, Graham Nash, and David Freiberg.
Delaney & Bonnie’s Motel Shot included Duane Allman, Stephen Stills, Joe Cocker, John Hartford, Jim Keltner, Bobby Keys, Dave Mason, Gram Parsons, Carl Radle, Leon Russell, Bobby Whitlock, and Clarence White.
Carla Bley’s Escalator Over the Hill included Jack Bruce, Don Cherry, Linda Ronstadt, Don Preston, Viva, Charlie Haden, Michael Mantler, Gato Barbieri, John McLaughlin, Paul Motian, and Enrico Rava.
The Will Powers album Dancing For Mental Health. It was by photographer Lynn Goldsmith, and other than her pitch-shifted narration, the entire thing is guests. Basically, it was her friends and clients. From the Wikipedia entry:
The album credits “special thanks” to Steve Winwood, Todd Rundgren, Sting, Nile Rodgers, Carly Simon, Sly and Robbie, Jacob Brackman and the Will Powers Supporters: Chris Blackwell, Ellen and Pascual Nieves, Ellen Foley, Andy Cavaliere, Donna Hellman, Bashiri Johnson, Mary Beth Hurt, Maria Vidal Fernandez, Meatloaf, David Sanborn, Steve Stanley, Griffin Dunne, Karen Allen, Warren Beatty, Glenn Close, Ian Hunter and Tom Bailey. Mixed by Todd Rundgren, “Kissing With Confidence” was released as a single in the UK, peaking at #17 in the UK Singles Chart. Carly Simon was the uncredited lead singer.
As Carly Simon wasn’t even credited singing on the hit single, it is a bit of a puzzle over exactly who was playing what. Goldsmith is the only credited writer, but that is a bit doubtful with the talent otherwise involved.
Los Staitjackets is an instrumental surf punk band, and their album Sing Along with Los Straitjackets has 11 different vocalists. Pretty great album, makes me wish they had a vocalist, but then the band wouldn’t be Los Straitjackets. They also play wearing Mexican wrestling masks.