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I was trying to think of a musician that is equivalent...like some drummer who had been in a lot of groundbreaking bands but people didn't realize it. Unfortunately, I know far less about music. I know such people exist but...names escape me.

There are producers and engineers who add their magic to what they work on as well as the session musicians. I know in the 60s it was common for bands to not play on their recordings. Jimmy Page did a lot of the studio guitar back then. That's how he got so good.