Palladino was influenced in his early years by
Led Zeppelin and
Yes and started a rock band. In 1982, Palladino recorded with
Gary Numan on the album
I, Assassin. Following this, he was asked to contribute to
Paul Young's
debut album. Young's cover version of "
Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" by
Marvin Gaye became a hit in Europe, and Palladino subsequently joined Young's band, the Royal Family. He received offers to record with
Joan Armatrading,
Go West, and
David Gilmour. He cites as early influences
James Jamerson,
Danny Thompson, and
Norman Watt-Roy and also admires
Jaco Pastorius,
Stanley Clarke,
Bootsy Collins,
Larry Graham,
Michael Henderson,
Anthony Jackson,
Marcus Miller, and
Rocco Prestia. In 1988-1989, Palladino played on the
Don Henley album
The End of the Innocence on three tracks, including the single "
New York Minute". In 1989 he participating in the recording of
Ryuichi Sakamoto's album
Beauty, and was part of the lineup who played with the Japanese musician at the
Hammersmith Odeon in 1991. In 1990, he played on Mike Lindup's first solo album,
Changes, with
Dominic Miller on guitar and
Manu Katché on drums. In 1991, he joined
the Law with
Paul Rodgers, formerly of
Bad Company, and drummer
Kenney Jones, who succeeded
Keith Moon in the Who after Moon died, and recorded the album
The Law. In the 1990s, Palladino alternated between fretless bass and fretted 4-string and 6-string bass. He played with
Melissa Etheridge,
Richard Wright,
Elton John, and
Eric Clapton. ,
John Mayer, and Pino Palladino In 1999, he began working with
Richard Ashcroft of
the Verve on Ashcroft's debut solo album,
Alone With Everybody. Also in the late 1990s, Palladino and the neo-soul artist
D'Angelo developed a connection over their mutual love of
Motown and other classic
soul music. Palladino then became active in the
Soulquarians, playing on the majority of their discography and serving as a member of
the Soultronics touring band that supported D'Angelo's
Voodoo tour. Palladino played with
Simon and Garfunkel on their Old Friends reunion tour from 2003 to 2004. After
the Who's bassist
John Entwistle died the night before the start of
their first tour in two years, Palladino became the band's bass guitarist on tour. In 2006, he joined the remaining band members on their first album in twenty-four years,
Endless Wire. He played with the Who at the
Super Bowl XLIV half-time show in 2010 with
Simon Townshend on guitar,
Zak Starkey on drums, and
John "Rabbit" Bundrick on keyboards. In 2012, Palladino toured with the Who on their
Quadrophenia revival. He stopped touring with the Who in 2016. However, Palladino is still occasionally involved in studio sessions; he appeared on their 2019 album titled
Who. Palladino met
Steve Jordan in the mid-1980s while both were working as
session musicians the collaboration blossomed into a friendship. Jordan credits Palladino's apparent ability to "feel" changes in music, through melodies, basslines, and an embrace of genres of nearly every kind. According to Jordan, he had planned to meet up with
John Mayer and
Willie Weeks in January 2005 to perform
Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope for victims of the tsunami that struck southeast Asia. Weeks was unable to make the performance, and Jordan suggested Palladino, who had heard some of Mayer's work and was willing to come. Beginning a set that included the Jimi Hendrix song "
Bold as Love", the three found a chemistry together. They recorded an album and toured as a trio. Palladino appeared on Mayer's third album
Continuum, fourth album
Battle Studies and seventh album
The Search for Everything. In March and April 2006, Palladino toured with
Jeff Beck and played with
J. J. Cale, and Eric Clapton on their 2006 album
The Road to Escondido. In 2009, he formed a trio with keyboardist
Philippe Saisse and
Simon Phillips. In January 2011, he entered the studio with D'Angelo to finish recording
Black Messiah. In 2013, he played on the
Nine Inch Nails album
Hesitation Marks and was a member of
the touring band. Additionally, he co-produced
José James' album
No Beginning No End (2013). In 2024, he appeared on "
II Most Wanted", the third single off of
Beyoncé's album,
Cowboy Carter; additionally, the song featured
Miley Cyrus. ==Technique and equipment==