3 Songs That Feature Iconic Artists as Session Musicians

While most bands try to have their lineup be so stellar that they don’t need to look outside of their ranks for talent, it’s always interesting to get some new ideas in the mix. Especially if you can use the skills of an iconic musician. The three songs below benefited greatly from session musicians who also happened to have significant name recognition. These famous players were relegated to the background, but listeners couldn’t ignore their work.

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“Beat It” – Michael Jackson with Eddie Van Halen on Guitar

Eddie Van Halen famously played the central guitar riffs on Michael Jackson‘s “Beat It”. While taking the world by storm in Van Halen, producer Quincy Jones asked him to play on the Jackson staple.

Van Halen took some convincing. Even after he agreed, getting the right tone was a chore. “Quincy wasn’t even there…so we’d be on the phone and he goes: ‘It’s too metal, you gotta calm down. I gotta get it on pop radio! Use the small amp, not so much distortion,” another “Beat It” guitar player, Steve Lukather, once said.

In the end, Van Halen essentially improvised the track, finding something Jones was happy with. Moreover, the guitarist ended up working on this song for free as a favor. So, if Van Halen’s efforts weren’t impressive enough, consider this: he came up with the riff on the spot, asked for nothing in return, and delivered one of the most iconic guitar lines of the last 40 years.

[RELATED: “God Might Give Them to Prince”: Why Michael Jackson Refused to Let a Single Idea Slip]

“Layla” – Derek & The Dominos with Duane Allman on Guitar

Duane Allman lent his guitar talents to one of the most iconic rock songs of all time: “Layla.” This Derek & The Dominos track saw Eric Clapton desperately confess his love for Pattie Boyd. Matching Clapton’s energy is Allman’s equally passionate playing.

Clapton himself has produced many incredible riffs over the years, but something about having Allman on guitar duties with him brought out the best in both artists.

“Strangers in the Night” – Frank Sinatra with Glen Campbell on Guitar

In addition to his lauded solo discography, Glen Campbell made a name for himself as a session musician. He found himself a featured player on many iconic songs, including Frank Sinatra‘s “Strangers in the Night.”

“I played on a lot of Sinatra sessions,” Campbell once said of working with the crooner. “He was simply awesome. He liked to laugh, and he could be one of the boys when he wanted. But he was also a very serious performer.”

Though the most prominent instrumentation on “Strangers in the Night” is the lush strings, Campbell’s rhythmic guitar accompaniment adds much to the finished product.

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)