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IN MARCH, CHUCK RAINEY LIFTED HIS bass with his left hand, strapped it on, and fretted some notes. For the Godfather of the Groove it was a pivotal moment-the first time he had held a bass since suffering a stroke on November 4, 201 1 that paralyzed the left side of his body. As of today, the 71 -year-old Rainey's recovery continues at a remarkable rate. "I could do a country gig right now," he laughs. And he fully intends to join bandmates Harvey Mason, David T. Walker, and Larry Nash for their yearly tour of Japan backing pop/jazz vocalist Marlena Shaw in August.
The journey back from what Chuck slyly calls his "little bump in the road" was indeed arduous. After his family noticed him slurring his speech and he found himself bumping into everything on that November night, Rainey made the right call by heading to the emergency room instead of the bedroom. "Had I gone to sleep, my doctor said I would have either died or been totally paralyzed." Admitted to the I....