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The Section were a US instrumental rock/ jazz fusion band formed in the early 1970s by guitarist Danny Kortchmar, keyboardist
Craig Doerge Craig Doerge (; born December 4, 1944) is an American keyboard player, session musician, songwriter, record producer, best known for his keyboard work with Crosby Stills and Nash, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne. Biography He was born in Cle ...
, bassist
Leland Sklar Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American bassist and session musician. Sklar rose to prominence as a member of James Taylor's backing band, which coaleced into a group in its own right, The Section. This group of musicians so frequ ...
, and drummer
Russ Kunkel Russell Kunkel (born September 27, 1948) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician with many popular artists, including Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Chapin, Rita Coolidge, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Dan Fo ...
. Other musicians associated with the group include multi-instrumentalist David Lindley and guitarist
Waddy Wachtel Robert "Waddy" Wachtel (born May 24, 1947) is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work. Wachtel has worked as session musician for other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Kim Carnes, Randy ...
. They are best known for both studio and stage work in support of some of the best selling singer-songwriters and solo singers of that decade. Their frequent appearances on the records of artists signed to
Asylum Records Asylum Records is an American record label, founded in 1971 by David Geffen and partner Elliot Roberts. It was taken over by Warner Communications (now the Warner Music Group) in 1972, and later merged with Elektra Records to become Elektra/Asylu ...
made them the label's ''de facto'' house band. Their close association with the singer-songwriter and soft rock genres of the 1970s also led to their alternate moniker of "The Mellow Mafia". They appeared together and individually on such albums as
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
's best selling/record breaking, 1971's "Album of the Year," '' Tapestry''; James Taylor's 1970 hit album, ''
Sweet Baby James ''Sweet Baby James'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor, released on February 1, 1970, by Warner Bros. Records. The album includes two of Taylor's earliest successful singles: " Fire and Rain", and " Country R ...
'' and many other albums by
Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American M ...
,
Crosby & Nash In addition to solo careers and within the larger aggregate of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the musical team of David Crosby and Graham Nash have performed and recorded regularly as a duo, mostly during the 1970s and the 2000s. History After th ...
, Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon and others. They also performed as the back-up band on many of their tours. Other musicians who did not belong to the discrete 1972–1977 band but frequently performed in other permutations of the ensemble (such as Browne's '' Running on Empty''-era touring band and Crosby & Nash's Mighty Jitters bassist Tim Drummond and David Lindley. ''Fork It Over'' (1977), the group's final album, featured guest appearances from Taylor and David Crosby alongside other session luminaries of the era, including percussionist
Joe Lala Joseph Anthony Lala (November 3, 1947 – March 18, 2014) was an American musician and actor. In 1966, he co-founded the rock band Blues Image. Life and career Lala was born in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, to parents from Contessa Entellina (an ...
, saxophonist David Sanborn, trumpeter
Chuck Findley Charles B. Findley (born December 13, 1947 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania) is an American trumpet player known for his diverse work as a session musician. He also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone. His technical abilities ...
and multi-instrumentalist Jim Horn. One or more of them can be heard on the most popular tracks from the 1970s: King's " It's Too Late" and " Sweet Seasons"; Taylor's "
You've Got a Friend "You've Got a Friend" is a 1971 song written by American singer, songwriter, and musician Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, '' Tapestry'' (1971). Another well-known version is by James Taylor ...
" and his remake of "
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" is a song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye from his fifth studio album of the same name (1965). It was written in 1964 by the Motown songwriting team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, and produced ...
"; Browne's " Doctor, My Eyes" and " Rock Me on the Water"; Ronstadt's "
Poor Poor Pitiful Me "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" is a rock song written and first recorded by American musician Warren Zevon in 1976. With gender references reversed, it was made a hit twice: first as a top-40 hit for Linda Ronstadt, then over a decade later by Terri Cla ...
"; Joni Mitchell's " Carey"; Crosby, Stills & Nash's " Shadow Captain" and " Just a Song Before I Go"; and entire albums by Taylor ('' JT'', ''
Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon ''Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor, released in April 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded between early January and late February of the same year. Relea ...
''), King ('' Rhymes & Reasons'', '' Thoroughbred''), Ronstadt (''
Don't Cry Now ''Don't Cry Now'' is the fourth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt and the first of her studio releases for Asylum Records, following six albums recorded for and released on Capitol Records including three she recorded as a member of The Stone Po ...
'', '' Mad Love''), Crosby & Nash (''
Graham Nash David Crosby ''Graham Nash David Crosby'' is the first album by the partnership of David Crosby and Graham Nash, released on Atlantic Records in 1972, catalog SD 7220. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and a single taken from the album, " ...
'', '' Wind on the Water'') and Browne ('' Running on Empty'', '' Hold Out''). By the 1980s, the group stopped working together collectively, though as individuals they continued to play prominent roles in the studio and on tour with many of the most popular acts of the decade, including Phil Collins (who collaborated with Sklar frequently starting with 1985's ''
No Jacket Required ''No Jacket Required'' is the third solo studio album by English drummer and singer-songwriter Phil Collins. It was originally released on 25 January 1985 or 18 February 1985 on Virgin (UK and Ireland), Atlantic (US and Canada) and WEA (rest o ...
'' album and subsequent tour),
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) were a folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young as a fourth member, ...
(whose albums ''
Daylight Again ''Daylight Again'' is the seventh album by Crosby, Stills & Nash, and their third studio album in the trio configuration. It peaked at No. 8 on the ''Billboard 200'' albums chart, the final time the band has made the top ten to date. Three single ...
'' and '' American Dream'' feature keyboard work and songwriting by Doerge),
Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...
(whose debut solo album '' Bella Donna'' features guitar work from Wachtel, who continues to work with her as her musical director),
Bob Seger Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and The Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s, break ...
(who frequently collaborated with Kunkel beginning with 1982's '' The Distance'' album following the departure of
David Teegarden David Teegarden is an American musician who was a member of the American psych-rock group Teegarden & Van Winkle. He is a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Teegarden has worked with many musicians including J. J. Cale, Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh, and B ...
), and Don Henley (who used Kortchmar's writing skills and musicianship on numerous instruments on his ''
I Can't Stand Still ''I Can't Stand Still'' is the debut solo studio album by American musician Don Henley, drummer and co-lead vocalist for the Eagles. It was released in August 1982 by Asylum Records. Henley, Danny Kortchmar and Greg Ladanyi produced the album. ''I ...
'' and ''
Building the Perfect Beast ''Building the Perfect Beast'' is the second solo studio album by American rock singer Don Henley, released on November 19, 1984 by Geffen Records. A commercial and critical success, it is generally regarded as the culmination of the smoother, mor ...
'' albums). Beside their supporting work for other musicians, The Section released three albums of their own, consisting of mostly instrumental music that was an amalgam of rock, pop, jazz, and jazz fusion. The Section was inducted into the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame in 2018 Inductee.''The NAMM TEC Awards Hall of Fame - 2018 Inductee''
tecawards.org, accessed October 7, 2021.
''277. The Section Induction into the 2018 TEC Hall of Fame at NAMM''
youtube.com, accessed October 7, 2021.
''The Section receive the 33rd Annual NAMM TEC Hall of Fame Award''
youtube.com, accessed October 7, 2021.
In 2018, three members of The Section formed a group calle
The Immediate Family
consisting of Danny Kortchmar on guitar and vocals, Leland Sklar on bass, and Russ Kunkel on drums and backing vocals. They were joined by
Waddy Wachtel Robert "Waddy" Wachtel (born May 24, 1947) is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work. Wachtel has worked as session musician for other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Kim Carnes, Randy ...
an
Steve Postell
on guitars and vocals. The group has toured Japan and released a number of recordings. Their first U.S. single, "Cruel Twist", was released in 2020. Their first full length U.S. release, the self-titled album The Immediate Family, debuted on August 27, 2021.


Discography


The Section1972
Warner Bros) also features a young Michael Brecker and a cover of Otis Redding's "
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" is a song co-written by soul singer Otis Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper. It was recorded by Redding twice in 1967, including once just three days before his death in a plane crash on December 10, 1967. Th ...
".''The Section – The Section''
allmusic.com, accessed October 7, 2021.
''The Section – The Section''
discogs.com, accessed October 7, 2021.
''106. The Section / The History of the Band''
youtube.com, accessed October 8, 2021.
''108. The Section & and bass SOLO''
youtube.com, accessed April 13, 2022.
''322. The Section / 3 songs''
youtube.com, accessed April 13, 2022.
''406. The Section revisited!!!!''
youtube.com, accessed April 13, 2022.
''925. The Section / 1st album''
youtube.com, accessed April 13, 2022.
''413. Sammy Hagar / The Section ... Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay''
youtube.com, accessed October 8, 2021.
*
Forward Motion
'
1973
Warner Bros).''The Section – Forward Motion''
allmusic.com, accessed October 7, 2021.
''The Section – Forward Motion''
discogs.com, accessed October 7, 2021.
''108. The Section & and bass SOLO''
youtube.com, accessed April 13, 2022.
''726. The Section / Forward Motion''
youtube.com, accessed October 8, 2021.
''913. The Section (Forward Motion)''
youtube.com, accessed April 13, 2022.
''914. The Section ( a bit more)''
youtube.com, accessed April 13, 2022.
*
Fork It Over
'
1977
Capitol), with guests James Taylor and David Crosby.''The Section – Fork It Over''
allmusic.com, accessed October 7, 2021.
''The Section – Fork It Over''
discogs.com, accessed October 7, 2021.
''608. The Section / Fork it Over''
youtube.com, accessed October 8, 2021.
''896. The Section''
youtube.com, accessed April 13, 2022.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Section, The American rock music groups American instrumental musical groups