2.  Gregory A. Franklin has served for nearly seven
years as a partner and attorney at Ashcraft
Franklin Young & Peters, LLP, in Rochester, New
York. When not providing his services as a
family lawyer, Gregory A. Franklin is a
professional bassist who performs with singer-
songwriter Marjorie Thompson.
While mainstream music media often focuses
on the classic guitar solos and charismatic
vocalists that make up American music history,
a number of popular and influential songs have
been defined by instantly recognizable bass
lines.

3.  Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson is an
example of a pop and R&B song that is
driven by the bass. The instrument, generally
known for keeping time and providing a
song with rhythm, simultaneously provides
Smooth Criminal with a highly danceable
beat while evoking an air of tension that
complements Jackson’s narration of a girl
facing off against an intruder.
A number of rock bands have also
contributed to the canon of classic bass
lines.

4.  Pink Floyd’s Money opens with a toe-tapping
hook on the bass that carries on for the
duration of the song. The simple line not only
keeps perfect time with the rest of the
performance but also with a number of
cleverly placed sound bites of a cash register
opening. Arguably the most recognizable bass
line ever is the one that opens, and
unequivocally leads, Another One Bites the
Dust by Queen. The line is so infectious that all
other instruments, including Freddie Mercury’s
legendary vocal cords, are structured around
the bass.