Gospel bass pioneer shares tips and talks about shifting scenes
Exclusive video interview with FBPO’s Jon Liebman
September 30, 2019
By David Sands
Andrew Gouché is an inescapable presence in the worlds of gospel and R&B music. Known as the godfather of gospel bassists, his inventive sound helped popularize the bass guitar in church music circles, making it a go-to instrument for the genre. Over the course of his career, the L.A. native has worked closely with artists like Prince and the New Power Generation, Gladys Knight, Andraé Crouch, and The Winans; served as the musical director for Chaka Khan; and collaborated with everyone from Julio Iglesias to Snoop Dogg. Gouché has also earned a Grammy for his production work on Mary Mary’s Thankful album and released his own solo album, We Don’t Need No Bass.
FBPO’s Jon Liebman recently reconnected with Gouché for a discussion that covered his recent move to the Seattle area, signature gear, tips for aspiring bassists and plans for a new solo release.
Watch our interview with Andrew!
See Jon’s blog, with key takeaways from this interview, here.
I’m probably one of the few bassist that had the opportunity hear and see both Andrew Gouche and Joel Smith play during the big gospel choir days under The legendary James Cleveland and Walter Hawkins. I can say they both influenced my style of bass playing. I glad to see Gouche “given his flowers as we say while he yet lives.” I would also ask if Joel Smith would be interviewed by Bass Player magazine, he’s also a great drummer as well!
Joel passed away last year.
I’m deeply saddened from the news of his passing, and again I’m thankful to FBPO for this platform to allow us to celebrate our favorite bassists.
Andrew is a bass virtuoso! Andrew has such a command of the fretboard and is able to execute fills that no one else can. He’s a fantastic bassist and also very original. Anyone who can play bass for Prince, one of the greatest multi-instrumentalists ever, is an exceptional bassist.