Ode to the studio musician

Mom was a musician, educated at Appalachian State Teacher's College in the 40s so music has always been a big part of my life. I think most of us tend to catalog the major events of our lives through the music playing on the radio at the time it happened. That's why us old farts tend to stick with stuff from younger days before responsibility hit us like a piano dropped from an upper floor apartment.
I played in high school band (sax) and then learned crude keyboard in my early twenties when synthesizers were really getting popular. I can read music, but I can't really sight read though I can learn a piece bar-by-bar through rote memorization. I suspect it's not a lack of talent so much as laziness about the couple of hours a day it would take to master these skills. I play occasionally strictly for my own enjoyment.
A couple years ago, I saw a documentary "Standing In The Shadows of Motown" about a group of session musicians who backed most of the vocal groups from the early days when Barry Gordy's label was actually located in Motor City.
These guys weren't stars and made their living playing the seedy joints around the Detroit area at night after playing on some of the greatest music ever released during their daylight hours for poor money, and no recognition. The average listener has never heard of James Jamerson, or Robert White; but if you've ever listened to a Supremes or Temptations song you've heard them play. Robert White is responsible for the guitar riff intro to "My Girl" and James Jamerson is arguably the best bass player of all time yet he died penniless from liver failure.
Los Angeles had its' own powerhouse session band known as "The Wrecking Crew", all A-list musicians who were first called whenever a studio needed a tight backup band. Most of you have never heard of Carol Kaye but she is the most recorded bass guitar player of all time with an estimated 10,000 recordings from all genres. "Wichta Lineman" "I'm A Believer" and a whole bunch of stuff you've heard featured her on bass.
Only a few studio musicians ever reach the limelight. Glen Campbell, Dr. John, and Leon Russell are Wrecking Crew alumni. Chet Atkins, Floyd Cramer, and Boots Randolph all were members of the Nashville A-Listers.
The vast majority of session musicians quietly live their lives doing what they love and enriching the lives of the rest of us. Next time you listen to that song you just downloaded, remember the nameless musician who is probably headed to their next paying gig.