Carol Kaye, hands down. The most recorded bass player with over 10,000 recording dates from Motown LA, to Beach Boys to Sinatra to Elvis to jazz with greats like Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts, Earl Palmer, Joe Pass, to Quincy Jones, Phil Spector,and most every group that existed in the 1960s and early 70s. Plus numerous TV and Movie scores where not only did you have to play perfectly every piece, you had to do it by sight reading on the spot in one take. One mistake and you were not called back again. Also the greatest bass "teacher" on the planet having taught many of the best bassists personally, while others, like Sting learned from her tutorials and once mentioned in an interview something to the effect that "he had learned more about the electric bass from Carol Kaye than is decent." In the 60s, the best producers in the business made her #1 call on bass, working 10-18 hour days, seven days a week for over a decade and when she wasn't available?.....the other bassists where requested to "play it like Carol Kaye." And, And, And, she's even a greater and giving human being. The later is from personal experience.
Steve Biederman

I'm the only person here who is not unique.