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Chuck Rainey, a prolific bassist whose mile-long list of credits over the span of 43-plus years includes Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones and Steely Dan, suffered a stroke over the weekend, his wife said in a message to fans on Monday.
"Thank U Dear Friends for all the prayers and healing Light," Susan Rainey wrote on Facebook. "Chuck had a stroke Friday night but the prognosis is good for a full recovery. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Much love to all of U."
There were earlier, unconfirmed reports that Rainey, 71, was in ICU at a hospital outside Dallas-Fort Worth TX. A poster on the Talkbass.com message board said the session player suffered the stroke in Bedford, TX. Others described it as "massive."
Following the news, a flood of fans and fellow musicians worldwide took to Rainey's Facebook page to offer their prayers.
Through the years, Rainey has been tapped to contribute his bass expertise to albums from Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway, Joe Walsh, Tim Buckley, Bette Midler, Robert Palmer, Jackson Browne, Betty Davis and Dusty Springfield, among many others. He played on every track but one on what is considered Steely Dan's best album, "Aja."
He's also released four albums as a band leader and spent time in Quincy Jone's big band.
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