12 Years Ago Today, We Lost the Sought-After Rock Bassist Who Made History With Neil Young and Played With Joe Walsh and Jerry Lee Lewis

On this day (November 6) in 2014, Rick “Rick the Bass Player” Rosas, 65, died at his home in Agoura Hills, California, from pulmonary hypertension with cardiac arrest. While you may not recognize his name, you’ve certainly heard his throbbing bass line on a wide array of classics. He was most closely associated with Neil Young, contributing to hits including “Rockin in the Free World”, “Eldorado”, “This Note’s For You”, “Prairie Wind”, “Living with War” and “Who’s Gonna Stand Up”.

Young once described Rosas as “one of the greatest musicians to ever play with me.” Indeed, his resume certainly speaks for itself. The prolific session musician also played with Joe Walsh, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Rivers, Ron Wood, Etta James, and the briefly-revived Buffalo Springfield.

“It is with great admiration, appreciation and sadness that I note the passing of Rick Rosas… There were great live performances with Rick which will be unveiled in upcoming Archives releases, chronicling the talent and soul of one of the greatest musicians to ever play with me,” Young wrote in a statement on his website following Rosas’ death. “Heart of Gold and Trunk Show, two motion pictures featuring Rick and directed by Jonathan Demme, are among my favorite creations of all time. Trunk Show is still unreleased.

Today, we’re reflecting on the incomparable career of Rick Rosas on the 12th anniversary of his passing.

About Rick Rosas

Born September 10, 1949, in East Los Angeles, California, Rick Rosas grew up listening to Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers. He got his start on the Los Angeles music scene in the early 1960s. Rosas recorded an album with the surf-rock band Mark & the Escorts.

He met Joe Walsh in the early 1980s through drummer Joe Vitale, and Walsh invited Rosas to play on his 1985 album The Confessor. This opened a door for him. That same year, he toured with Dan Fogelberg and joined Albert Collins Etta James for a Jazzvision taping.

He Attended Neil Young University

Once describing himself as “a graduate of Neil Young University,” Rick Rosas met the “Godfather of Grunge” at the 1987 Farm Aid benefit concert. Struck by both the bassist’s musical prowess and unassuming demeanor, Young invited Rosas to join his new backing band, the Bluenotes.

The Bluenotes disbanded after recording Young’s 1988 album This One’s For You. However, Young kept Rosas on board. The bassist played on 1989’s Eldorado EP and Freedom album. The latter included the No. 2 rock hit “Rockin’ in the Free World”.

[RELATED: 4 Songs From the 1980s That Made You Wish You Were in a Rock Band, Too]

Rosas also worked with Young on Living With War (2006) and Chrome Dreams II (2007). Additionally, he played bass on the farewell tour of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Buffalo Springfield’s reunion tour.

Featured image by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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