Leroy Vinnegar

Leroy Vinnegar (July 13, 1928 – August 3, 1999) was an American jazz bassist.

Born in Indianapolis, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademark was the rhythmic "walking" bass line, a steady series of ascending or descending notes, and it brought him the nickname "The Walker". Besides his jazz work, he also appeared on a number of soundtracks and pop albums, notably Van Morrison's 1972 album, Saint Dominic's Preview.

He recorded extensively as both a leader and sideman. He came to public attention in the 1950s as a result of recording with Lee Konitz, André Previn, Stan Getz, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker, Shelly Manne, Joe Castro and Serge Chaloff. He played bass on Previn and Manne's My Fair Lady album, one of the most successful jazz records ever produced. He also performed on another of jazz's biggest hit albums, Eddie Harris and Les McCann's Swiss Movement, released in 1969.

He moved to Portland, Oregon in 1986. In 1995, the Oregon State Legislature honored him by proclaiming May 1 Leroy Vinnegar Day.

Vinnegar died from a heart attack, at the age of 71, on August 3, 1999, in a hospital in Portland.

As leader

 * Leroy Walks! (1957; Original Jazz Classics)
 * Leroy Walks Again!! (1962; Fantasy Records)
 * Jazz's Great "Walker" (1964; Vee Jay)
 * Glass of Water (1973; Legend Records)
 * The Kid (1974; PBR International) (2005; Q-Tape Records, France)
 * Walkin' the Basses (1992; Contemporary Records)

As sideman
With Joe Castro Trio With Dolo Coker With Sonny Criss With Kenny Dorham With Kenny Drew With Teddy Edwards With Red Garland With Eddie Harris and Les McCann With Elmo Hope With Eric Kloss With Gordon Lee With Shelly Manne With Howard McGhee  With Van Morrison With Gerry Mulligan and Ben Webster With Sonny Rollins With Sonny Stitt With Cedar Walton With Jessica Williams With Don Wilkerson With Serge Chaloff
 * Live at Falcon's Lair! (1956; Pablo Records) - with Zoot Sims
 * Groove Funk Soul! (1958; Atlantic Records)
 * At Falcon's Lair with Joe Castro 1959
 * California Hard (1977; Xanadu Records)
 * Saturday Morning (1975; Xanadu Records)
 * Inta Somethin' (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
 * Talkin' & Walkin' (Jazz: West, 1955)
 * Home Is Where The Soul Is (1978; Xanadu Records)
 * For Sure! (1978; Xanadu Records)
 * Teddy's Ready! (Contemporary, 1960)
 * Good Gravy! (Contemporary, 1961)
 * Heart & Soul (Contemporary, 1962)
 * Keystones! by (1977; Xanadu Records)
 * Swiss Movement (1969; Atlantic Jazz)
 * The Elmo Hope Quintet featuring Harold Land (Pacific Jazz, 1957)
 * First Class Kloss! (Prestige, 1967)
 * On the Shoulder of Giants (1994; Unity Label Group)
 * My Fair Lady (1956; Contemporary Records)
 * Maggie's Back in Town (1961; Contemporary Records) - with Phineas Newborn, Shelly Manne
 * Saint Dominic's Preview (1972; Warner Bros.)
 * Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (1959; Verve)
 * Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders (1958, Contemporary Records)
 * Sonny Stitt Blows the Blues (Verve, 1959)
 * Saxophone Supremacy (Verve, 1959)
 * Sonny Stitt Swings the Most (Verve, 1959)
 * Cedar! (Prestige, 1967)
 * Encounters (1994; Jazz Focus)
 * Encounters II (1997; Jazz Focus)
 * The Texas Twister (1960; Riverside)
 * Blue Serge (1956; Capitol)