Renowned bassist Carol Kaye, known for her extensive work in rock and pop music, recently made the decision to decline her invitation to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony scheduled for this year. In a now-deleted Facebook post, the 90-year-old musician stated, “People have been asking: NO I won’t be there. I am declining the RRHOF awards show (and Denny Tedesco process)… because it wasn’t something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.”
During the 1960s and 1970s, Kaye was a key member of the Wrecking Crew, a group of session musicians based in Los Angeles who collaborated with notable acts like the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, and the Monkees. Despite being featured in Denny Tedesco’s documentary on the Wrecking Crew in 2008, Kaye has expressed her opposition to the collective label associated with the group.
In a past interview, Kaye disputed the origins of the term “Wrecking Crew,” claiming it was introduced in Hal Blaine’s book without her knowledge and stating, “It’s a lie. We were all independent people, there was no set band.” Hal Blaine, a drummer associated with the “Wrecking Crew,” countered Kaye’s stance by asserting the group’s establishment in the early 1960s.
In a recent statement on Facebook, Kaye reiterated her objection to the term “wrecker” and expressed her refusal to participate in a process that she believes diverges from her values and the truth of their collaborative work.
Despite her decision not to attend the induction ceremony, Carol Kaye will still be recognized with the Musical Excellence Award at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, alongside fellow inductees including Bad Company, Joe Cocker, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes.
