Leroy Vinnegar, born July 13, 1928 and died August 3, 1999 in Los Angeles. He was an American jazz bassist. Vinnegar was born in Indianapolis and earned his fame in Los Angeles in the 1950s, 1960s. He was known for his rhythmic “walking” bass line. This is a steady sequence of ascending and descending notes that gave him the nickname “The Walker”. He was not only a jazz musician, but he also played on a variety of soundtracks and pop albums. He was both a sideman and a leader on numerous recordings. His recordings with Stan Getz, Lee Konitz and Andre Previn, Joe Castro, Chet Baker, Shelly Manne and Joe Castro brought him to the attention of the public in 1950s. Previn and Manne recorded My Fair Lady, one of jazz’s most popular records. He was also the bass player. He was also a performer on Les McCann’s Swiss Movement, which was released in 1969, and Eddie Harris’s Biggest Hit Album. In 1986, he moved to Portland, Oregon. The Oregon State Legislature declared May 1 Leroy Vinnegar day in 1995. Vinnegar, 71 years old, died on August 3, 1999 from a heart attack in Portland. From Wikipedia
