Bruce Palmer
The enigmatic bassist whose hypnotic, driving rhythms provided the pulsating foundation for Buffalo Springfield's brief, brilliant folk-rock explosion.
1946–2004 (age 58)·Canadian bassist·Birthday: September 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bruce Palmer anchored Buffalo Springfield as a bassist. He connected with Stephen Stills and Neil Young in a traffic jam on Sunset Boulevard, forming one of rock's most potent groups. His playing on 'For What It's Worth' and 'Mr. Soul' provided a hypnotic, resonant groove. Palmer struggled with the pressures of fame and immigration status, leading to periods of absence. He was replaced before the band's final collapse. Despite limited recorded output, his influence shaped the sound of folk-rock and country-rock in the late 1960s.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bruce was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bruce Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Bruce's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Died at 58
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
Key Achievements
- Played bass on Buffalo Springfield's seminal self-titled debut album, which included the hit 'For What It's Worth.'
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield.
- His rhythmic style directly influenced the bass playing in the folk-rock and early country-rock movements.
Did You Know?
He was a dedicated follower of Indian spiritual teacher Meher Baba for much of his life.
Palmer was deported from the United States multiple times due to visa issues during his time with Buffalo Springfield.
He released a solo album, 'The Cycle Is Complete,' in 1970, which is highly sought after by collectors.
“The bass line is the anchor; it holds the storm of guitars in place.”
