Christopher Robert Stainton (born 22 March 1944) is an English session musician, keyboard player, bassist and songwriter, who first gained recognition with Joe Cocker in the late 1960s.

In addition to his collaboration with Cocker, Stainton is best known for his work with Eric Clapton, The Who, Andy Fairweather Low and Bryan Ferry.

Stainton's musical career began in 1960, when he played bass guitar with a local Sheffield band, 'Johnny Tempest and the Mariners'.

His time as a Cocker backing musician came to a zenith on the Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour, in the United States and Canada in 1970.

On 11 September 2015, he was honoured and performed with the Tedeschi Trucks Band in a tribute/reunion concert for Joe Cocker, at the Lockn' Festival in Arrington, Virginia.