Russell Savakus (May 13, 1925 – June 26, 1984) was an American session bass player (both electric and stand-up), violinist and singer. Savakus recorded with numerous artists in and around the 1960s folk and folk-rock movement in New York.Richie Unterberger, Turn! Turn! Turn!: The '60s Folk-Rock Revolution. Hal Leondard Company. p. 205 Earlier, he had been a part of the rhythm section for the Les Elgart swing band.Lawrence McClellan, The Later Swing Era, 1942 to 1955. Greenwood Publishing. p.50
According to Michael Bloomfield, who met Savakus at a Bob Dylan session: "They had a bass player, a terrific guy, Russ Savakus. It was his first day playing electric bass, and he was scared of that. No one understood nothing."Wolkin and Keenom, Michael Bloomfield: If You Love These Blues: An Oral History, Miller Freeman Books, San Francisco, 2000, p. 100 However, Dylan chose to replace Savakus on tour.Bob Spitz, Dylan: A Biography. WW Norton. p. 317
Savakus died at age 59 on the evening of June 26, 1984, when his car collided head-on at Bangor Road in Washington Township, Pennsylvania. Bangor Road is located in Northampton County.
Discography Songs and records that Savakus played on include: Embraceable You, Chet Baker (1957)"Chet Baker: Songs for Lovers" CD, Pacific Jazz Records 57158, 1997 Walk On By, Dionne Warwick (1964) Farewell, Angelina, Joan Baez (1965) The In Instrumentals, Kai Winding (Verve, 1965) Reflections in a Crystal Wind, Richard & Mimi Fariña (1965) Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan (1965) Early Morning Rain, Ian and Sylvia (1965)Hounsome, Terry, Rock Record: A Collector’s Directory of Rock Albums and Musicians, Enlarged, Revised, Expanded, Facts On File Publications, New York,1987 p. 284 Many a Mile, Buffy Saint-Marie (1965)Hounsome, Terry, Rock Record: A Collector’s Directory of Rock Albums and Musicians, Enlarged, Revised, Expanded, Facts On File Publications, New York,1987 p. 495-496 Southbound, Doc Watson (1966) I'm a Believer, The Monkees (1966)'More of the Monkees' deluxe reissue, Rhino Records 2017, booklet, pages 17 and 20, containing personnel as listed by Monkees historian Andrew Sandoval, sourced directly from official Musicians' Union records Kites are Fun, The Free Design (1967) Fire & Fleet & Candlelight, Buffy Saint-Marie (1967) Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison (1967) Memories, Richard & Mimi Fariña (1968)Hounsome, Terry, Rock Record: A Collector’s Directory of Rock Albums and Musicians, Enlarged, Revised, Expanded, Facts On File Publications, New York,1987 p. 201 The Corporation: Vinnie Bell, Dick Hyman, Bill LaVorgna, Phil Bodner, Bucky Pizzarelli, Russ Savakus (1968) Rhymes and Reasons, John Denver (1969)Hounsome, Terry, Rock Record: A Collector’s Directory of Rock Albums and Musicians, Enlarged, Revised, Expanded, Facts On File Publications, New York,1987 p.157 Take Me to Tomorrow, John Denver (1970) David Clayton-Thomas, David Clayton-Thomas (1972) Don McLean, Don McLean (1972) Extension of a Man, Donny Hathaway (1973) Playin' Favorites, Don McLean (1973)Hounsome, Terry, Rock Record: A Collector’s Directory of Rock Albums and Musicians, Enlarged, Revised, Expanded, Facts On File Publications, New York,1987 p. 381 Never Letting Go, Phoebe Snow (1977) Times of Our Lives, Judy Collins (1982)
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