Career
Also in 1968, with Mike Campbell, Ray Monette and Andrew Smith he formed the band Scorpion, which lasted until 1970. Babbitt traded off sessions with original Motown bassist James Jamerson. When Motown moved to Los Angeles, Babbit went in the opposite direction and ended up in New New York
While making occasional trips to Philadelphia.
In this new city he worked on recordings for Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow, Gloria Gaynor, Robert Palmer, and Alice Cooper. During this time his most notable successes were "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips and "The Rubberband Manitoba" by The Spinners.
The Pittsburgh-born Babbitt"s most notable bass performances include "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I"m Yours" by Stevie Wonder, "War" by Edwin Starr, "The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, "Mercy Mercy Maine (The Ecology)" and "Inner City Blues" by Marvin Gaye, "Band Of Gold" by Freda Payne, "Ball of Confusion (That"s What the World Is Today)", and "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Maine)" by The Temptations. He participated in hundreds of other hits, including "Little Town Flirt" by Delegate Shannon, "I Got a Name" by Jim Croce, and "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band.
He played on the Jimi Hendrix album Crash Landing.
He accepted an offer from Philosophy Collins to perform on his album of Motown and 1960s soul classics, Going Back, and also appeared in Collins" Going Back - Live At Roseland Ballroom, New York City concert Digital Video Disc. He appeared on stage in an episode of American Idol, backing up Jacob Lusk"s performance of "You"re All I Need To Get By" for Artificial Intelligence"s Motown Week in March 2011. In 2003, Babbitt played on Marion James" album, Essence, on Soulfood Records, and amongst others playing on the record were Beegie Adair, Reese Wynans, Jack Pearson (The Allman Brothers), and drummer Chucki Burke. Bob Babbitt died on July 16, 2012, aged 74, from brain cancer.