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Chuck Day | |
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Birth name | Charles Wayne Day |
Also known as | Bing Day |
Born | August 5, 1942 |
Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Died | March 10, 2008 Healdsburg, California, U.S. | (aged 65)
Genres | Soul-blues, rhythm and blues |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals, bass guitar, piano |
Years active | 1957–2007 |
Charles Wayne Day (August 5, 1942 – March 10, 2008), also known as Bing Day, was an American guitarist and baritone bluesman from the South Side of Chicago.
His musical talents began to develop at age 3, and at age 15, he recorded the single "Pony Tail Partner" under the name "Bing Day" at Federal Records (1957). Day recorded several singles over the next ten years as 'Bing Day' and, also, 'Ford Hopkins'.
He moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1965 and began a career as one of the most listened to "unknown" artists in rock and roll. He became bassist with Johnny Rivers' Band. [1] Day invented the signature lead guitar riff afterward used by Rivers in " Secret Agent Man". [2] [3] [4] [5]
Day worked with the Mamas and the Papas in 1967, again as bassist, also playing as second guitarist on " Monday, Monday" and " California Dreamin'". [4]
During the 1970s and 1980s, Day played on numerous recordings including Shel Silverstein's Freaker's Ball. He also wrote for the soundtrack of Fritz the Cat and performed with musicians Luther Tucker and Merl Saunders.
Day formed his own band in 1986.
Day resided in Fairfax, California, from 1969, and continued to play locally in the San Rafael area of California until he was taken ill in January, 2007. After three months of care at Marin General Hospital, he was admitted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital before being relocated to District Hospital in Healdsburg, where he remained until his death on March 10, 2008.
A memorial and parade were held in Fairfax for Day on March 22, 2008. [4]
After his death, it was revealed that he was the biological father of Owen Vanessa Elliot, the daughter of singer Cass Elliot of the Mamas and The Papas. [6]
While working in Chicago, we found a great blues guitar player, Chuck Day. Chuck could play and sing just like Ray Charles. Chuck sounded more like Ray than Ray did. We talked Chuck into playing bass for us, something he was not used to, but he was more than willing to give it a try. He gave it a try, all right. Well, now we had the bluesiest bass player in town.
The electric guitar is prominent in this genre, evoking the danger and "electricity" of the spy lifestyle, as in the "Peter Gunn Theme" and especially the " James Bond Theme". Composed by Monty Norman and arranged by Barry, the Bond theme features reverb and staccato picking by Vic Flick, whose riff appears in every Bond film and came to define the lifestyle ethos of the spy. The riff most likely had an influence on the one played by Chuck Day in Johnny Rivers's "Secret Agent Man," the theme for "Secret Agent's" broadcast in the mid-1960s.
Section starts at 02:22. 'So I just came up with that lick. That's all. That's the whole story. I invented the guitar intro; that's all.'
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Mr. Day is credited with creating the distinctive guitar riff on Rivers' 1966 hit "Secret Agent Man," earning him the distinction of being one of the most listened-to unknown musicians in rock.
People said I co-wrote this song; I did not. If anyone ever tells you that, it's a lie. I just wrote the guitar lick, for which I got union scale.