4 Solo Artists Who Stuck With Their Original Backing Musicians for Decades

Behind almost every solo artist, there is a backing band of talented musicians bolstering the solo artist’s music with guitar riffs, bass, drums, background vocals, and more. While there are some obvious exceptions, like artists who perform acoustic instruments completely alone, most Top 40 pop has at least some kind of full-band arrangement.

Unlike rock bands that inherently rely on the ensemble aspect of their group, solo artists have more wiggle room to hire a rotating cast of backing musicians depending on whether they’re trying to write, record, or perform live. There are fewer expectations to work with the same lineup every year. As long as the figurehead stays the same, to the audience, nothing really changes.

But as any musician knows, finding someone you mesh with creatively and socially can be rare. We look at five solo artists who appreciate the benefits of sticking with the same backing musicians over the years.

Taylor Swift: Paul Sidoti, lead guitarist

Paul Sidoti has been Taylor Swift’s right-hand man since 2007. Through every era (starting with Fearless), all of her genre crossovers, and each rigorous touring schedule, Sidoti has held down the role of Swift’s lead guitarist impeccably. Given Swift’s infamous feuds with producers and other seemingly close associates, her relationship with Sidoti has been a heartwarming constant through all the ups and downs of her massively successful career.

In an August 2024 Instagram post, Sidoti paid tribute to his long-time colleague, Swift, writing, “The summer of 2024 will go down as the most rewarding, remarkable experience in my professional career as a musician. Years from now, I’ll be able to tell my kids what their dad was part of, and that brings me such joy and happiness.”

Weird Al Yankovic: full backing band

Pop satirist Weird Al Yankovic has been dishing out ultra-silly, off-the-wall renditions of the biggest pop and rock songs since the late 1970s, from “My Bologna” in 1979 (his version of the Knack’s “My Sharona”) to “White and Nerdy” in 2006 (a goofy spin of Chamillionaire’s “Ridin’”), Weird Al has seemingly stood alone as one of the music industry’s strangest, most inventive artists of all time.

However, just because Weird Al is billed as a solo artist doesn’t mean he’s alone on stage. The satirical musician has been playing with the same backing musicians since his early 1980s debut, including Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz on drums, Steve Jay on bass, Jim “Kimo” West on guitar, and Rubén Valtierra on keyboard.

Paul McCartney: full backing band

If there’s anyone who understands the intricacies and nuances of band dynamics, it’s Paul McCartney. From playing with his childhood pals in the Beatles to collaborating with his wife in their eponymous projects and, later, Wings, McCartney has had decades of experience working with musicians of all kinds. He clearly found a sweet spot in the early 2000s because the solo artist’s backing musicians haven’t changed since 2002.

Following the death of Linda McCartney in 1998, the ex-Beatle began building a new lineup of backing musicians for his 2001 album, Driving Rain. As of 2002, his go-to backing band includes Rusty Anderson on guitar, Brian Ray on guitar and bass, Wix Wickens on keyboard, and Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums.

Stevie Nicks: Sharon Celani and Lori Perry, backing vocalists

As the former frontwoman of Fleetwood Mac, vocalist Stevie Nicks is certainly no stranger to tense band dynamics. Despite Fleetwood Mac’s immense success, it often came at the expense of the band members’ inner peace. When Nicks broke off to become a solo artist, she found stability and companionship in her two backing vocalists, Sharon Celani and Lori Perry, who have continued to work with Nicks ever since.

“Sharon and Lori and I have a special thing that we have, that we have perfected,” Nicks said in a 1983 interview with Jim Ladd. “I’m not going to go sing on stage alone; I don’t want to. I want to be able to walk away and let them take it because there is nothing in the world that I would rather hear than beautiful singing. So, I have worked to get a sound that is not like anybody else, that is really beautiful, that is strong, and that is dedicated and devoted.”

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