Born on 6 June: Tony Levin, the bass player who partners Peter Gabriel and King Crimson

He was born in 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts, and started out as a classical double bassist before turning to rock and jazz.

His name remains relatively unknown to the general public, even though his career now spans over five decades. He has played on at least 500 albums across an extraordinary range of styles, from Alice Cooper (on the famous "Welcome To My Nightmare") to John Lennon (on "Double Fantasy"), as well as, to name but a few, Stevie Nicks, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson and dozens of other artists.

But he is best known for his long-running collaborations with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson, two giants of progressive music. He first met Gabriel in 1976 in Toronto, Canada, just after Gabriel left Genesis. He’s also played alongside the two King Crimson guitarists Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew since 1981. So, you can see that this Tony Levin, who you might not have heard of before, is far from an unknown!

Extremely loyal, he has always been there both for Gabriel and for King Crimson. "I didn’t know him at all and I knew nothing of Genesis’s work," he recalls. "Let’s say I was very lucky, as during that recording session in Canada I happened to meet the two artists who would have the greatest influence on my career going forward."

Since Peter Gabriel’s first solo album in 1977, a real partnership has developed between the two men. With innovations like the Chapman Stick and "funky fingers" (little sticks attached to the fingers for striking the bass strings), Levin undeniably brings distinctive elements to Gabriel’s sound. "One of the reasons Tony has been in such demand for so long," the former Genesis singer told the "Financial Times", "is his extraordinary musicality. He’s not flashy! Often, virtuoso musicians like to hog the limelight. Tony, on the other hand, always wants to let the song speak for itself."

Iconic tracks such as "Sledgehammer" and "Don't Give Up" (with Kate Bush on vocals) would never have been as moving without him.

With genuine humility, this brilliant, bald-headed technician, always searching for meaningful innovation, systematically puts his talent at the service of the music he’s invited to play on. Hats off to you, Mr Levin!

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo: © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: Tony Levin with Peter Gabriel on stage at the Torhout Festival (Belgium) on 5 July 1987