“Finally, they both ran out of steam. Silence. Then Keith said, ‘Are you sure you want to be the meat in this sandwich?’” The making of Don Was, the über-producer trusted by the Stones, Bob Dylan and John Mayer (and who’s a pretty good bassist too)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - MAY 03: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Don Was rehearses for The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: A Celebration of Mac & His Music at the Saenger Theatre on May 3, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Skip Bolen/DJBB14/Getty Images for Blackbird Productions).

Detroit-born bassist and producer Don Was has rubbed elbows with a who’s who of timeless artists including Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, the Rolling Stones and Willie Nelson – but his approach to the work remains simple.

“I try to play from the heart, listen and react, stay in the groove, support the storytelling, and refrain from showing off too much,” he tells Bass Player.