Famous Female Bass Players Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Born in Coronado, CA, Tina Weymouth is best known for her work with the American bands Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club. She studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she met her future husband Chris Frantz, and David Byrne. Together they formed the Talking Heads and made influential albums such as "Remain in Light" (1980). Her bass work with Tom Tom Club fused funk with new wave and produced hits such as "Genius of Love".

Hagar Ben-Ari is a native of Tel Aviv, Israel. She studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Ben-Ari's bass skills span genres from rock to pop to jazz. She's toured with Beyoncé, appeared in her iconic "Formation" video and played with various jazz ensembles.

Gail Ann Dorsey was born in Philadelphia and honed her skills in the local music scene. She is best known for her collaborations with David Bowie, Tears for Fears and Gwen Stefani. In addition to her bass playing, she is an accomplished singer, songwriter and screenplay writer. Dorsey was part of David Bowie's band from 1995 until his death in 2016.

Detroit native Suzi Quatro learned to play in local bands. She was a pioneering figure in rock music and broke barriers as a female bassist and vocalist. Quatro influenced generations of female rockers with her energetic glam rock performances such as "Can the Can" and "48 Crash", her long bass solos, her impressive vocal talents and her stylish leather jumpsuits. Her influence also extends to acting, notably as Leather Tuscadero in "Happy Days".

Kim Gordon was born in Rochester, NY and studied art at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. Back in New York City, she co-founded the no-wave and noise-rock band Sonic Youth with her future husband Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo in 1981. She plays bass, guitar and occasionally synthesizer. In addition to her work with Sonic Youth, Gordon is a founding member of another alternative rock band, Free Kitten.

Kim Deal is best known as the bassist for The Pixies and co-founder of The Breeders. Born in Dayton, OH, Deal learned to play guitar and bass as a self-taught teenager. With the Pixies, she demonstrated her songwriting skills on the songs "Gigantic" and "Cannonball" and occasionally sang lead vocals. She was also a member of the Amps, a short-lived band in the mid-1990s. She has adopted several stage names throughout her career, most notably Mrs John Murphy during her time with The Pixies and Tammy Ampersand with The Amps.

Canadian singer, songwriter, photographer and actress Melissa Auf Der Maur studied music and photography at Concordia University in her native Montreal. She is best known for forming the indie rock band Tinker in the early 1990s, playing bass in Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins, and for her projects with The Chelsea and Hand of Doom.

Kathy Valentine studied music in her hometown of Austin, TX. She is best known for her role in The Go-Go's and numerous solo projects. Valentine's catchy bass lines helped define the sound of new wave and pop punk in the 1980s. In 1981, The Go-Go's became the first all-female band to have a number one album in the US ("Beauty and the Beat"). Valentine and her bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. Valentine is also an acclaimed author and holds degrees in English and Fine Arts.

D'arcy Wretzky, known as D'arcy, was the original bass player for the Smashing Pumpkins. Her contributions to albums such as "Siamese Dream" remain an integral part of the band's legacy. She left the band in 1999 and was replaced by former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur (see above).

NYC native Tracy Wormworth was the longtime bassist for The B-52's, where her bass grooves provided the funky backbone for the band's danceable, retro-inspired sound from "Rock Lobster" to "Love Shack". During her two-decade tenure with the B-52's, she also worked as a studio musician with Cyndi Lauper, Sting, Little Richard and Joan Osborne.

Maureen Tucker, Cindy Blackman, Sheila E., Patty Schemel, Meg White and Gina Schock are all drummers.