When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2025 in late April, the institution revealed that Carol Kaye would be inducted in the Musical Excellence category. The bass guitarist, born March 24, 1935, was one of the most sought-after studio musicians in Los Angeles during the ’60s, playing on thousands of recordings by such stars as the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and Simon & Garfunkel. On June 19, on a Facebook post that appears to have since been deleted, Kaye announced that she would be turning down the honor. “I won’t be there,” she wrote. “I am declining the awards show, turning it down because it wasn’t something that reflects the work that studio musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s recording hits.”

Kaye also objected to the term “The Wrecking Crew” that was coined decades ago to refer to the group of Los Angeles studio musicians of which she was a vital part. “You are always part of a TEAM, not a solo artist at all. There were always 350–400 studio musicians… I was never a ‘wrecker’ at all, that’s a terrible, insulting name.”

Denny Tedesco, the producer-director of the acclaimed 2015 documentary, The Wrecking Crew, and son of the prominent studio guitarist, Teddy Tedesco, responded to Kaye’s comments in a lengthy post on June 22. Denny, a longtime friend of this website, has allowed Best Classic Bands to reprint his words in their entirety.

As many of you know, I’ve never personally responded to any of Carol Kaye’s comments over the last 17 years about her issue with my documentary film, The Wrecking Crew. It may be time to explain to the folks who don’t know the background of Carol’s anger. Some might not know that Carol had fallen out with Hal Blaine in the early years of the film’s production. I used to joke that it was like having divorced parents that you cared for but made sure to never mention them to each other.

In 2008, when the film played the festival circuit, it all came to a head with Hal and Carol closing the door on each other once and for all.

There is one thing that should never be questioned – Carol Kaye is one of the greatest bass players of all time. She is a brilliant musician. She is the star of The Wrecking Crew documentary.

I started the film in 1996 when my father, Tommy Tedesco, was diagnosed with cancer. I planned to film a roundtable discussion and asked him who should be at the table with him. My father said, “Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, and Plas Johnson,” without hesitation.

At the time, this was just a seed of an idea that I wanted to explore my father and his friends’ careers in the studios in the early to mid-sixties. We didn’t know what we would call it, but the obvious name kept coming up in interviews: The Wrecking Crew. Hal had coined the term when he wrote his book in 1990, The Wrecking Crew. It was based on their early days of being accepted into the Hollywood Studio scene.

When my father, Hal, Carol, Plas, Don Randi, Joe Osborn, Leon Russell, Glen Campbell, and the other musicians of the time tried to break into the studio scene, they would take any recording dates that the older and more established musicians would never take. They took what they could get. Many of the early dates were non-union and rock & roll. If you were an older player and a movie call came up, you wouldn’t blow a week of work on that film for a $20 song demo. So, rumor has it, Hal heard one of the older guys say to another older musician, “These guys are going wreck the business playing this rock & roll shit.” And that is the genesis of the term.

Carol’s biggest complaint about my film was this name and the term in general. By the way, I agree with her 100%. I don’t think the name was ever used in the studios during the 1960s when they were recording, and I addressed this at the beginning of the film:

Click here to watch the clip.

If you’ve seen the film, you might remember that I set the story up by asking various players, artists, and engineers of the time, ‘Do you remember the name and who was part of this group playing the pop songs of the day?’ Many did not remember it, nor could they come up with exactly who was part of it. I concluded it didn’t really matter; it was about a special place and time when some of the greatest pop hits were created. And is a great title for a movie!

In my voice-over, I specifically say and set up the story and round table with this line: “On the first day of shooting, I brought four of LA’s greatest session players together.” I didn’t say four Wrecking Crew members. Why? Because I didn’t want to upset Carol. Is it a negative term? I don’t think so unless you take it seriously and don’t understand the irony.

Session musicians in the early days didn’t get credit on records that were due to them. They were highly respected by their peers; nothing is better. But sometimes, they were so popular that they picked up a moniker. Each generation has its “Wrecking Crew”: Like “The Funk Brothers,” “The Section,” “The Swampers,” “The ‘A’ Team”, “The Rat Pack” and “The Brat Pack.” On purpose or by accident, either way, it can be a great hook, like a hook in a great song or a great bass line.

Recently, Carol was chosen to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Whatever your opinion is about some music museums, I believe it’s an honor to be recognized. Carol was a trailblazer. As Brian Wilson says in the movie, “She was ahead of her time.” Many of these musicians would never have been known without music documentaries like mine, and museums.

But a few days ago, this was the headline around the world (yep, everywhere): “Legendary Bassist Carol Kaye Is ‘Declining’ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, Citing ‘Insulting’ Use of ‘Wrecking Crew’ Nickname for Studio Musicians.”

Then, in the article, Carol said, “People have been asking: NO I won’t be there,” Kaye, 90, wrote in a Facebook post. “I am declining the RRHOF awards show (and Denny Tedesco process)” — a reference to the director of the 2008 documentary — “turning it down because it wasn’t something that reflects the work that studio musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.”

I guess all publicity is good, even if it’s a slight about me personally. I’m actually honored! But I’m confused because I’m not sure what the “Denny Tedesco Process” is. I have absolutely nothing to do with the RRHOF. I’m a filmmaker. I can’t even play an instrument!

It took us 19 painful years to make this film. From the first day of the roundtable interviews in 1996, until the film was released in theaters in 2015. We struggled to raise the money to pay for music licensing and payments to the musicians’ union which I was proud to pay for. Every musician on the film’s soundtrack was paid a reuse fee. If you watch the end of the credits, you will find a couple of hundred names listed under the instruments they played. Those names were taken from each contract supplied to me by the AFM Musician Union. I wanted to make sure if they were listed on the contract, their name is at the end of the film. Even if they only had one recording date in their career!

I’m very proud of The Wrecking Crew documentary. It brought fame and knowledge about the musicians who played on some of the most incredible pop music of all time. Those songs continue to be heard today. The only difference now is that listeners might know who played guitar, bass, drums, or piano on the track.

I’m not even angry; I’m sad. I wish we could enjoy what we have at this point in our lives and not get crazy over a nickname that is taken out of context. I want to think the recognition Carol and the guys received over their later years was due to our documentary, The Wrecking Crew. One could only hope.

As I mentioned at the top of this crazy response letter, I kept Hal and Carol separated as long as possible until their relationship blew up at a screening at the AFM Union Hall. But prior to that, Carol sent me two emails in support of the film.

On April 25, 2008, she wrote to me, “Denny, don’t worry I won’t complain about the title anymore, it seems to be a catch-word, so I’ll just live with it, you were right. xx Get rest, Carol”

Here is a quote that Carol gave me to use for publicity for the film in 2008: “Denny has worked hard to put together a very world-class documentary to tell the truth about how our group of experienced fine musicians helped create and perform on everyone’s favorite recordings of the 1960s-70s….his meticulous and sensitive filming of interviews, caring of the musicians and stars he interviewed, plus his lengthy personal time and toil in getting the very best ways of telling our story will help make the history of working musicians an interesting story as well as a wonderful documentary of the real lives and history of the musicians behind the music everyone loved and grew up to in those years…..

“I highly recommend this to everyone to see. It’s terrific, hard-hitting with the right punches, and filmed as only experienced fine film-makers can do…besides I’ve known Denny since he was a young lad visiting our recording studios, he’s one of “our kids”….who we did the work for. Thanks Denny for doing such a wonderful film about us, your Dad, and those of us who are playing in Heaven already. I know your revealing film will be enjoyed and appreciated by the public for years to come. Your Friend, Carol Kaye”

I hope something good comes out of this. I hope readers will find time to learn about all the musicians who were unknown previously but touched our lives with their art and will be appreciated forever. As I said earlier, I believe Carol isn’t wrong about the term being used, but maybe just confused about its meaning. Ultimately, I hope she will be able to enjoy the love and respect the music community has for her in the future. I know she’ll never be forgotten. I’m just hoping Carol can move on from it; it’s a tired narrative.

Regarding the Denny Tedesco Process? When my family and friends question me about something, I can always say, “It’s my process.”

[Despite Kaye’s objections, it’s expected that the Rock Hall will still include her in its 2025 induction class.]

Watch the official trailer for The Wrecking Crew

The Wrecking Crew film is available to stream or for purchase in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.

Related: Our interview with Denny Tedesco on his award-winning follow-up film about the ’70s studio/touring musicians, Immediate Family