Robert Andrew Kreinar, also known as Bob Babbitt, was born in Pittsburgh to Hungarian parents and moved to Detroit in the early 1960s, where he quickly found himself immersed in the city’s booming music scene.

A core member of the iconic group the Funk Brothers, Bob fueled the baseline of some of Motown’s most iconic tracks as a session legend that was equal parts soulful, steady, and technically gifted.

Long before he was an R&B and Rock icon, he trained as a classical bassist, taking nonstop gigs in Detroit at a time when Motown was just finding its footing.

Though he may not be as publicly known as bassists like James Jamerson, Babbitt played on an impressive list of Detroit’s greatest hits, also gaining acclaim for being one of the Funk Brothers’ few white members—the uncredited band behind Motown’s top artists.

His bass powered everything from Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” to Edwin Starr’s “War” and Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me,” as well as the iconic Temptations’ ballad “Just My Imagination.”

After leaving Detroit in the late 1970s, Babbitt continued his career in New York and Nashville, recording with everyone from Gloria Gaynor to Frank Sinatra.

That said, he never left Detroit in spirit, and in 2002, he and the surviving members of the Funk Brothers received long-overdue recognition for their hard work and dedication in the form of the documentary “Standing in the Shadows of Motown.”

The documentary was proof that Babbitt never sought out acclaim. He was simply a man who loved his craft and respected the ensemble.

He was an artist who played with grace and walked with his head held high, and though he passed away in 2012, his grooves continue to live on every time someone plays a song his bass can be heard on.

In short, he wasn’t just another Detroit musician.
He was Detroit’s quiet mastermind…determined, soulful, and forever cooking up magic that would be adored for generations to come.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: September 27, 2025