Carol Kaye Rejected To Keep On Playing For FZ

 Carol Kaye provided 12-string guitar for Freak Out! and Absolutely Free.

Carol Kaye

She came into this world in Everett, Washington to musician parents. She has played professionally since 1949. At first she played with jazz groups on the nightclub circuit around Los Angeles, such as a spell with Bob Neal's band backing Lenny Bruce.

Her first recording sessions, starting in 1957, were on guitar for SamCooke, Richie Valens, and the Righteous Brothers. From 1964-1973 she mainly played bass and appeared on over 10,000 tracks of pop songs, jazz standards, tv show themes, and movie scores.

This are some of the best recognized tunes that includes Carol Kaye’s work;

Richie Valens’ “La Bamba” (on guitar),

Simon and Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair”,

Lalo Shifrin’s themes to Mission Impossible and Mannix,

The Monkees’ “I’m A Believer”,

Ike and Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High”,

The Lettermen’s “Going Out of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,”

Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons”,

Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin”,

the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin”,

Sonny and Cher’s “The Beat Goes On”,

The Beach Boys’ “California Girls”,

All this while raising a family as a divorced single mom and helping her own mother.

Carol:"Zappa was good-natured.."

For the Freak Out! album Frank had his own bass player and drummer but the rest were studio musicians: Tommy Tedesco on lead guitar on Zappa's recordings, Dennis Budimir and Carol Kaye on 12-strings, she as well played on some songs for his following album but rejected to keep on, saying she found some of the lyrics rude.

Kaye afterwards said Zappa was good-natured and understanding about her qualms so they stayed on pleasant terms.