When it comes to musical giants and their backing bands, it’s always the front-runner’s name and then the bands. That’s just the way it is, and while backing bands are called backing bands for a reason, you can’t help but wish that they received more credit. Well, we are going to give them some. That being said, here are three underrated backing bands that helped support the careers of classic rock giants.
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The Revolution
As a band, The Revolution’s most notable contributions are with Prince, particularly on his albums 1999 and Purple Rain. Don’t get us wrong, Prince is a phenomenal and well-rounded musician, but not even he could play several instruments at one time, as well as articulate his ambitious creative vision all by himself.
Prince’s 1982 album, 1999, was a hit in part thanks to The Revolution. Following its release, the album peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200. Subsequently, the band helped Prince create one of the greatest albums of all time—Purple Rain, which peaked at No. 1 for 24 consecutive weeks.
The Crickets
Fans of rock ‘n’ roll often cite Buddy Holly as one of the genre’s founding fathers. That is certainly true, but an accomplishment as grand as this one is rarely ever achieved alone, and for Holly, it wasn’t, as he had his world-class backing band, The Crickets.
The band itself saw many variations. Nonetheless, their contributions to the quintessential rock ‘n’ roll sound were invaluable and paved the way the way for future acts. Frankly, without these guys, there is no telling what direction rock ‘n’ roll would have gone in. Though thanks to their work, we don’t even have to entertain the thought.
The Wrecking Crew
The iconic Wrecking Crew was not a backing band in the sense that they supported acts live and had their names featured on the cover of albums. Rather, they were a silent collective of studio musicians that gave way to some of the greatest albums of all time. These musicians helped craft the sound of the 1960s, and seemingly didn’t ask for much credit.
Featuring musicians such as Carol Kaye, Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, and Hal Blaine, The Wrecking Crew worked with Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, The Monkees, The Mamas & the Papas, and many more. Some of the more notable albums they helped create include Pet Sounds and the first two albums for The Monkees.
Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns
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