Chuck Berghofer

Charles Curtis Berghofer (born June 14, 1937) is an American double bassist and electric bassist, who has worked in jazz and as a session musician in the film industry for more than 60 years, including working on more than 400 movie soundtracks.

Early life Chuck Berghofer was born in Denver, Colorado, and moved with his family to Arcadia, California when he was eight. With a lineage of musicians in the family (his grandfather had played with John Philip Sousa, and his uncle played tuba with the Saint Louis Symphony), Berghofer took interest in music at an early age, playing trumpet at the age of eight. He also played the tuba in grade school and high school until moving to the double bass at the age of 18. As a young adult, as he began venturing out to jazz night clubs, he came to admire bassist Ralph Peña and was able to persuade Peña to take him on as a student. and then joined with Bobby Troup. In the 1960s he became a member of Shelly Manne's band,

He was a member of the Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra around 1967 when Frank Zappa recorded the orchestral parts for Lumpy Gravy.

With his lengthy career in film, Berghofer was also quite accomplished as a house jazz musician. He formed a semi-regular house band at Donte's in Los Angeles with pianist Frank Strazzeri and drummer Nick Ceroli and was videotaped playing with Roger Kellaway and drummer Larry Bunker as they backed Zoot Sims.

Film, television, and popular music As Berghofer made his career as a jazz musician, he landed a prominent role recording with Nancy Sinatra in "These Boots Are Made For Walkin". He also worked on television with Glen Campbell, recorded with Frank Sinatra, and played with Barbra Streisand, in which they did a recording of Funny Lady. His extensive film work led to his being awarded in the mid-1980s the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Award as the most valuable bass player for four consecutive years. In that decade he recorded with Mel Tormé and later recorded again with Sinatra on Duets. His bassline on Barney Miller inspired Cliff Burton to learn how to play bass.

Discography

With Christina Aguilera My Kind of Christmas (RCA Records, 2000) With Paul Anka Songs Of December (Decca Records, 2012) With India Arie Christmas with Friends (Motown, 2015) With Hoyt Axton My Griffin Is Gone (Columbia, 1969) With The Beach Boys Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) (Capitol, 1965) Pet Sounds (Capitol, 1966) Smiley Smile (Capitol, 1967) With George Benson Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole (Concord Records, 2013) With Mary J. Blige Mary (MCA Records, 1999) A Mary Christmas (Verve, 2013) With Debby Boone Reflections of Rosemary (Concord, 2005) With Pat Boone Near (The Gold Label, 2010) With Michael Bublé Call Me Irresponsible (Reprise Records, 2007) Christmas (Reprise Records, 2011) To Be Loved (Reprise Records, 2013) Love (Reprise Records, 2018) Higher (Reprise Records, 2022) With Vanessa Carlton Be Not Nobody (A&M, 2002) With Rosemary Clooney For the Duration (Concord Records, 1991) Still on the Road (Concord Records, 1994) Dedicated to Nelson (Concord Records, 1996) White Christmas (Concord Records, 1996) Brazil (Concord Records, 2000) With Adam Cohen Adam Cohen (Columbia Records, 1998) With Natalie Cole Stardust (Elektra Records, 1996) Still Unforgettable (Atco Records, 2008) With Ry Cooder Jazz (Warner Bros., 1978) With Rita Coolidge And So Is Love (Paddle Wheel, 2005) With Bobby Darin Venice Blue (Capitol Records, 1965) With Matt Dusk Back in Town (Decca Records, 2006) With The Everly Brothers In Our Image (Warner Bros., 1966) The Everly Brothers Sing (Warner Bros., 1967) With Rebecca Ferguson Lady Sings the Blues (RCA Records, 2015) With Melody Gardot Sunset in the Blue (Decca Records, 2020) With Vince Gill Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection (MCA Records, 1998) With Josh Groban Stages (Reprise Records, 2015) With Enrique Iglesias Cosas del Amor (Fonovisa, 1998) With B. B. King and Diane Schuur Heart to Heart (GRP, 1994) With Carole King A Holiday Carole (Concord, 2011) With Jean King Sings for the In-Crowd (Hanna-Barbera, 1966) With Irene Kral Wonderful Life (Mainstream, 1965) With Diana Krall When I Look in Your Eyes (Verve Records, 1999) With Peggy Lee In the Name of Love (Capitol, 1964) With Love Forever Changes (Elektra, 1967) With Seth MacFarlane No One Ever Tells You (Republic, 2015) With Melissa Manchester If My Heart Had Wings (Atlantic Records, 1995) With Barry Manilow Showstoppers (Arista, 1991) Manilow Sings Sinatra (Arista Records, 1998) A Christmas Gift of Love (Columbia, 2002) Scores (Concord, 2004) The Greatest Songs of the Sixties (Arista, 2006) The Greatest Songs of the Seventies (Arista, 2007) In the Swing of Christmas (Arista, 2007) The Greatest Love Songs of All Time (Arista, 2010) My Dream Duets (Columbia, 2014) This Is My Town: Songs of New York (Decca, 2017) With Shelly Manne Live! Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole (Contemporary, 1961) Shelly Manne & His Men Play Checkmate (Contemporary, 1961) With Johnny Mathis Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album (Columbia, 2005) With Martina McBride It's the Holiday Season (Broken Bow Records, 2018) With Paul McCartney Kisses on the Bottom (Hear Music, 2012) With Carmen McRae Can't Hide Love (Blue Note, 1976) With Bette Midler Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook (Columbia Records, 2003) With Liza Minnelli Gently (Angel Records, 1996) With Joni Mitchell Both Sides Now (Reprise Records, 2000) Travelogue (Nonesuch Records, 2002) With Michael Nesmith The Wichita Train Whistle Sings (Dot Records, 1968) With Tom Netherton Just As I Am (Word, 1976) With Aaron Neville The Grand Tour (A&M Records, 1993) With Steve Perry Traces (Fantasy, 2018) With Ruth Price and Shelly Manne Ruth Price with Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole (Contemporary, 1961) With Frankie Randall Going The Frankie Randall Way! (RCA Victor, 1966) With Della Reese Let Me in Your Life (People, 1973) With Emitt Rhodes The American Dreams (A&M Records, 1970) With Howard Roberts Whatever's Fair! (Capitol Records, 1966) With Diana Ross Take Me Higher (Motown, 1995) With Seal Standards (Decca Records, 2017) With Jon Secada Secada (Virgin, 1997) With Diane Schuur Love Songs (GRP, 1993) Music Is My Life (Atlantic Records, 1999) Friends for Schuur (Concord Records, 2000) Midnight (Concord Records, 2003) With Blake Shelton Cheers, It's Christmas (Warner Bros. Records, 2012) With Zoot Sims Quietly There: Zoot Sims Plays Johnny Mandel (Pablo, 1984) With Frank Sinatra Strangers in the Night (Reprise, 1966) That's Life (Reprise, 1966) The World We Knew (Reprise, 1967) Cycles (Reprise, 1968) My Way (Reprise, 1968) A Man Alone (Reprise, 1969) Sinatra & Company (Reprise, 1971) Some Nice Things I've Missed (Reprise, 1974) Duets (Capitol, 1993) Duets II (Capitol, 1994) With Nancy Sinatra Boots (Reprise Records, 1966) Sugar (Reprise Records, 1966) Nancy (Reprise Records, 1969) With The Singers Unlimited Friends (Pausa, 1977) With Keely Smith Keely Sings Sinatra (Concord, 2001) With Rod Stewart Merry Christmas, Baby (Verve Records, 2012) With Barbra Streisand The Movie Album (Columbia Records, 2003) What Matters Most (Columbia Records, 2011) Partners (Columbia Records, 2014) Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway (Columbia Records, 2016) With Toni Tennille All of Me (Gaia Records, 1987) With Mel Tormé Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dektette – Reunion (Concord, 1988) With Sarah Vaughan Sarah Vaughan with Michel Legrand (Mainstream Records, 1972) With Dionne Warwick Dionne Warwick Sings Cole Porter (Arista Records, 1990) With Robbie Williams Swing When You're Winning (Chrysalis Records, 2001) With Trisha Yearwood Let's Be Frank (Gwendolyn, 2018)

Filmography An incomplete list of his music and film credits.