Is this true..can anyone verify this quote

[terryc]

I read Ronnie Wood's biography 'Ronnie' and he made an interesting quote in chapter 15 -'Barbarian' on the second page of the chapter when he got this band together. It says;-
Then I got Stanley Clarke, who is the best jazz bass player ever and who, I found out much later, was influenced by me. he told me that I was the reason he took up the bass, after hearing me play it with the Jeff Beck group
 
Now I am not saying that this isn't true or a fabrication but does anyone who knows why Stan took the bass up is because of this??
I have read that he took up violin and moved to bass because his hands were too large??
Can anyone verfify??

[cozmik_cowboy]

Well, I can't say anything for certain, but if you'd like some surmising....
Stanley was born in 1951.  I read in a GP story decades ago that he was playing bass in the Philidelphia Orchestra (IIRC, 1st chair) at 17 - that would be 1968. Wood started as a guitarist - Beck switched him to bass until 1967.  That would leave SC 1 year from inspiration to top-level pro.  I think it more likely that, if Woodie inspired Stan, it was to take up the electric.
 
Peter

[keith_h]

My understanding was it was Chick Corea that got Stanley into the electric. Stan was the bass player in the original Return to Forever that was all acoustic. Chick told Stan he was going electric and Stan needed to switch if he wished to continue playing in the group.  
 
Keith