Your favorite backing band?

The Dominos

 

The Heartbreakers. Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers. Meh about Tom Petty's.

 

I think that studio bands that play with a lot of different people and touring bands that work with and for just one artist are rather different animals, no? That said, I'd like to make mention of Howlin' Wolf's band in the mid-60s (Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Shaw, Lafayette Leak, Jerome Arnold, Sam Lay) and the Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys and Hank Thompson's Brazos Valley Boys among the touring bands, and Chips Moman's American Studio players on the other side (Woods, Emmons, Young, Cogbill, Leech, Chrisman, etc.).

 

Scotty, Bill and DJ.

 

Blizzard of Oz, mostly because of Randy Rhoads (but the whole lineup was solid)

 

.... and while I could name a good number of rockers, the real answer is "& the Jazz Messengers"!!!
especially any of the lineups with Lee Morgan or Freddie Hubbard.

 

the 400 unit

 

The Wrecking Crew

 

The one behind John Coltrane from about 1960.

 

Slash's solo band, The Conspirators, with Myles Kennedy.

Kennedy is a tremendous vocalist with great range IMHO and holds his own on the GnR, Snakepit, and Velvet Revolver songs.

The drummer Brent Fitz is not just another metal basher and is the best Slash has played with and the bass player Kerns is a very talented vocalist in his own right. Frank Sidoris compliments Slash on rhythm guitar.

I have seen this band half a dozen times and they never disappoint.

 

Miles Davis’ two Great Quintets
John Coltrane’s Quartet
The Jazz Messengers
The Mothers of Invention

 

The Billy Joel Band of the 1970s was awesome.
I think they were called “Topper”

Richie Cannata- Saxophone and keyboards
Doug Stegmayer- Bass
David Brown- Guitar
Russell Javors- Guitar
Liberty DeVitto- Drums

 

Paul Simon’s One Trick Pony era band also great. They rival Billy Joel’s band (see above):

Tony Levin- Bass
Eric Gale- Guitar
Richard Tee- Keyboards
Steve Gadd- Drums

 

Came here to say this.

Any backing band that can claim Clapton, Taylor, and Green will be hard to beat. Other great members of course also.

 

The musicians that backed Delaney and Bonnie, Joe Cocker and Eric Clapton

Jim Price
Bobby Keyes
Leon Russell
Jim Gordon
Carl Raddle
Bobby Whitlock
Don Preston
Jim Keltner
Jim Horn

 

High praise to Elton’s 70s band:

Nigel Olsson
Davey Johnstone
Dee Murray
Ray Cooper

 

Maybe not "favorite", but "The Mysterians" is probably my favorite name for a backing band.

 

Tomas Ledin's backing band:
Jorgen Ingestrom (keyboards)
Johan Franzon (drums)
Sebastian Nylund (guitar)
Ove Andersson (bass)

 

The Attractions
or
Elton John - Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson, Ray Cooper

 

Not sure if they count here....

The Magic Band

I am still often astonished that they managed to put the Captain's nightmares onto tape so well.

 

The Revolution (original version, through Around The World In A Day)

 

The E Streeters for me, closely followed by Booker T. and the M.G.'s and the Famous Flames.

 

The Hot Band (Emmylou Harris & The Hot Band)

 

Some of Talking Heads' extended configs have been great. The core of Abba's backing band (I know they worked with others, but these three seem especially integral: drummer Ola Brunkert, guitarist Lasse Wellander and, above all, bassist Rutger Gunnarsson). I've always thought that those lads don't quite get the recognition they deserve.

 

The Wrecking Crew
The Bluesbreakers were incredible as well. (Clapton, Taylor, Green, McVie) Unfortunately not all at the same time!
I also was gonna add the Dominoes/All Things Must Pass/Delaney & Bonnie/Joe Cocker/Leon Russell assortment.