There was a Beatle Bass at Woodstock. Played by a lady!
Played by Rose Simpson of the (by then expanded) Incredible String Band.
Quite a story. Robin Williamson decided that his girlfriend (Licorice McKechnie, sitting between the two guitarists) was joining the ISB. She had some musical talent and had already added some extra vocals and percussion to the ISB's albums. Mike Heron decided that what was good for the goose was good for the gander and announced that his girlfriend was going to be the bass player.
Trouble is that Rose had no natural aptitude for music and no musical knowledge. This did not deter them though! Mike bought her a bass and would work out the parts and teach them to Rose. Rose would memorise the parts, including slides and vibrato and dynamics, and would execute them flawlessly. When Mike cut his first solo album Rose and Steve Winwood ended up playing together on one song. The bass part was complex and Winwood was amazed to see Rose executing it perfectly take after take. The next day he called up producer Joe Boyd to say that he was recording his own solo album and he wanted Rose to play bass. She knew that she could never do it without Mike teaching and encouraging her so she told Boyd to tell Winwood that she was not available on the suggested dates.
Boyd said that Rose's performance as the ISB's bass player was one of the greatest sustained feats of sheer will that he witnessed.
