Renowned studio and live bass player Phil Chen — best known for his run in the 1970's with Rod Stewart — died at age 80, after a long bout with cancer. GuitarWorld.com posted the memorial from his family, which read, “With heavy hearts we share the news that Phil Chen passed away on the morning of December 14th, 2021 after a long battle with cancer. He spent his final days surrounded by family and close friends and cherished time with his grandchildren who always brightened his day. He will be missed greatly and his contagious passion for music and positive energy on and off the stage will be remembered always.”
Although in recent years, the Chinese – Jamaican musician played with the Doors' Robby Krieger, his resume reads like a “who's who” of popular music, including dates and sessions with Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Dave Edmunds, Dion, Roger Taylor, Bo Diddley, Eric Benét, John Lee Hooker, the Eurythmics, Lita Ford, Jackson Browne, John Fogerty, Robin Gibb, Brian May, Traffic's Jim Capaldi, and Donovan.
Chen will be forever remembered for his work on Rod Stewart's late-'70s and early-'80s smashes — “Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?,” “You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim),” “I Was Only Joking,” “Passion,” and “Hot Legs,” among others.
