Gail Ann Dorsey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gail Ann Dorsey
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Dorsey in 2004
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| Born | November 20, 1962 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1985–present |
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Gail Ann Dorsey (born November 20, 1962) is an American musician. She is famous for playing the bass guitar. Gail Ann Dorsey worked with many artists as a session musician. She was a regular member of David Bowie's band. She played with him from 1995 until his last tour in 2004.
Besides playing bass, she also sang. She performed lead vocals on live versions of "Under Pressure". This song was originally sung by Freddie Mercury of Queen. She also sang duets with Bowie on other songs. These included "The London Boys" and "Aladdin Sane (1913–1938–197?)". She even played the clarinet on "I Dig Everything".
From 1993 to 1996, Dorsey also toured and recorded with Tears for Fears. She helped write songs for the band. You might have seen her in some of their music videos from that time. She has worked with many other famous musicians too. These include Lenny Kravitz, Boy George, Gwen Stefani, and Seal.
Gail Ann Dorsey has also released three solo albums. These are The Corporate World (1988), Rude Blue (1992), and I Used To Be... (2003).
Contents
Gail Ann Dorsey's Early Life
Gail Ann Dorsey grew up in West Philadelphia in the 1970s. She started playing guitar when she was nine years old. Some of her early musical heroes were Jimi Hendrix and Nancy Wilson from the band Heart.
She got her first bass guitar shortly after her 14th birthday. But she didn't think of herself as a bass player until she was 20. She also wrote movie scripts to go with her music.
Dorsey went to the California Institute of the Arts. She studied film and video there. Her short films and scripts earned her a full scholarship. She was the youngest woman ever accepted into the Live Action department. After a while, she decided the film industry wasn't for her. She then focused on her music career.
Gail Ann Dorsey's Music Career
When she was 22, Dorsey moved to London to pursue music. She formed a band called 20To. They made their first music demos, which led to her first record deal with CBS Records. She also wrote music for a play called Chiaroscuro in 1985.
Her first big job was singing with The Charlie Watts Big Band. This was in 1985 at Ronnie Scott's in London. She also appeared on The Tube, a popular music TV show.
In 1987, Dorsey signed with Warner Music Group. In 1988, she released her first solo album, The Corporate World. This album was produced by Nathan East. It even featured Eric Clapton. A magazine called Q gave it a great review.
She then moved to Island Records in 1991. In 1992, she released her second solo album, Rude Blue. This album featured famous horn players from James Brown's band. After living in England for almost 12 years, Dorsey moved to Woodstock, New York, in 1994.
When her record deal became difficult, Dorsey started working as a session musician. In 1995, she joined David Bowie's Outside Tour. She continued to perform and record with many artists. These included Gang of Four, Sophie B. Hawkins, and The Indigo Girls. She also worked with Michael Hutchence from INXS.
Dorsey is most famous for her work with David Bowie. After the Outside Tour, she played bass and sang on his albums. These included Earthling (1997), Heathen (2002), Reality (2003), and The Next Day (2013). She also sang a duet with Bowie called "Planet of Dreams." She was part of his last six tours. She performed with him at "The Concert For New York" at Madison Square Garden.
In 2003, Dorsey released her third solo album, I Used To Be. This album was a collection of songs she had written over 18 years. She wrote most of the songs herself. In 2017, Dorsey joined the "Celebrating David Bowie" tour. She performed with other musicians who had worked with David Bowie.
Gail Ann Dorsey's Musical Style
Gail Ann Dorsey's music style is very broad. It includes rock, funk, country, and pop influences. She says her current sound is like the old AM/FM radio songs she loved. These included songs by The Fifth Dimension and Olivia Newton-John.
When asked to describe her sound, she said she doesn't want to limit herself. She wants her music to always be honest and meaningful. Dorsey mainly uses a Music Man Stingray and a Fender Jazz Bass for her tours and recordings.
In December 2021, Bass Player magazine gave Dorsey a Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognized her amazing career.
Gail Ann Dorsey's Music Albums
Solo Albums
- 1988: The Corporate World (Sire Records)
- 1992: Rude Blue (Island Records)
- 2004: I Used to Be (Sad Bunny Records)
Albums with Gang of Four
- 1991: Mall – Gail Ann played bass and sang backing vocals.
- 2015: What Happens Next – Gail Ann sang on the song "First World Citizen."
Album with The The
- 1995: Hanky Panky – Gail Ann played bass.
Albums with Tears for Fears
- 1993: Elemental – Gail Ann played bass for the song "Elemental." She also joined their "Elemental Tour" (1993–95).
- 1995: Raoul and the Kings of Spain – Gail Ann played bass. She also helped write the song "Queen of Compromise."
Albums with David Bowie
- Studio albums
- 1997: Earthling – Gail Ann played bass and sang backing vocals.
- 2002: Heathen – Gail Ann played bass on "Conversation Piece."
- 2003: Reality – Gail Ann sang backing vocals.
- 2013: The Next Day – Gail Ann played bass on 8 songs and sang backing vocals on 7.
- Live albums
- 2000: LiveAndWell.com – Gail Ann played bass, keyboards, and sang backing vocals.
- 2000: Bowie at the Beeb – Gail Ann played bass, guitars, and sang backing vocals on CD 3.
- 2009: VH1 Storytellers – Gail Ann played bass and sang backing vocals.
- 2010: A Reality Tour – Gail Ann played bass and sang backing vocals.
- 2018: Glastonbury 2000 – Gail Ann played bass and sang backing vocals.
- Compilation
- 2022: Toy – Gail Ann played bass, clarinet, and sang backing vocals.
- EP
- 2020: Is It Any Wonder? - This David Bowie EP was recorded during the Earthling album sessions. Gail Ann is on 5 of the 6 songs.
Albums with Rachid Taha/Khaled/Faudel
- 1999: 1,2,3 Suns – Gail Ann played bass and sang backing vocals.
Other Collaborations
- 2023: Album Rêvalité by French singer/songwriter Matthieu Chedid – Gail Ann sang chorus and played bass. She also sang on the digital songs "Space Oddity" and "Life on Mars."
- 1990: Bloodletting by Concrete Blonde – Gail Ann played bass on "Tomorrow, Wendy."
See also
In Spanish: Gail Ann Dorsey para niños
