In the past 13 years Chris has built up a reputation as a top-level professional bassist, having recorded and/or toured with a wide variety of artists such as the previously mentioned Jane's Addiction, The Panic Channel, all-star cover band Camp Freddy, Alanis Morissette from 1995 to 2002, Celine Dion, Michelle Branch, Ben Taylor, Carly Simon, Rob Zombie, Andrew W.K., Tommy Lee's Methods of Mayhem, Will Hoge, and the song "I'm Still Here" from soundtrack to the animated movie Treasure Planet with The Goo Goo Dolls' Johnny Rzeznik. He is also featured on Sara Bareilles 2007 album "Little Voice"
Chris's influences include Ayumi Hamasaki, Geddy Lee, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith, Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, and Stevie Wonder's keyboard bass playing.
As of the June 2003 issue of Bass Player magazine, Chris' gear listing for recording and touring is as follows:
The vast majority of Chaney’s electric basses are all strung with D’Addarios—“just about every kind they make.” As to what particular basses Chris will bring to a recording session, "If I’m going to do a whole record and I’ll be somewhere for a while, I’ll bring all of ’em. But if I’m called to play on just a song or two, I usually show up with a P-Bass, a Jazz Bass, a fretless, an acoustic bass guitar, and maybe something else. I have just three double gig bags, so everything has to fit in those—and it all has to fit in my trunk!"
When player larger venues, Chris plays through:
“It’s all about options,” Chaney explains of his massive custom rack. “No studio bassist wants to hear, ‘Do you have one of those?’ and you do, but it’s at home. This rack is a pain to move, but everything I’ll ever need is in there, and it makes me feel comfortable in the studio and on the road.
