My Take
Tony Levin is one of those musicians who quietly holds up half of rock history without most casual listeners ever knowing his name — and honestly, that suits him perfectly. The man has been Peter Gabriel's secret weapon since 1977 and anchored King Crimson's most adventurous lineups through the '80s and '90s, but beyond those two giants he's played sessions for everyone from John Lennon to Paul Simon. What gets me is his tone: that fat, chest-thudding low end on Gabriel's "Sledgehammer," the alien-groove Chapman Stick lines on Crimson records, none of it sounds like anyone else on the planet. He's a Boston kid who went to Eastman School of Music and turned into one of the most in-demand bassists in the world by just being absolutely, unmistakably himself. A genuine craftsman's craftsman.
Overview
Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer specializing in electric bass guitars, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (1981–1984, 1994–1998, 2008, 2011, 2014–2021) and Peter Gabriel (since 1977).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Tony Levin
- Name (Japanese)
- トニー・レヴィン
- Reading
- とにー・れゔぃん
- Born
- June 6, 1946 (age 79)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Dog
- Origin
- Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- bassist / blogger / jazz musician / record producer / cellist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.