Jody Payne facts for kids
Jody Payne (born January 11, 1936 – died August 10, 2013) was a talented American country musician and singer. He was famous for being the longtime guitarist in Willie Nelson's band, called The Family.
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Early Life and First Songs
Jody Payne was born as James L. Payne in Garrard County, Kentucky. He started singing very young. When he was just five or six, he sang with his older sister, Imogene. He even played the mandolin at her first-grade graduation! This was the start of his music journey. When he was about 10 or 11, he sang with his father. They performed on a radio show called WHIR in Danville.
Starting a Music Career
In 1951, Jody Payne began playing bluegrass music professionally. He toured with famous musician Charlie Monroe for a while. After this, his family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1958, he joined the Army and served for two years.
After leaving the Army in 1960, he moved to Detroit, Michigan. In 1961, he started playing music at the West Fort Tavern. He then toured with other well-known artists. These included Merle Haggard and his band, The Strangers. Jody also played on recordings with stars like Hank Snow, Tanya Tucker, and Leon Russell.
Joining Willie Nelson's Band
Jody Payne first met Willie Nelson around 1962 in Detroit. At that time, Willie Nelson was playing bass with Ray Price. Jody officially joined Willie Nelson's band in November 1973. He played with them for many years. He retired from the band in 2008.
Jody Payne in Movies and TV
Jody Payne also appeared in several television shows and movies. Some of these include the TV series Monk and Soundstage. He was also in films like Songwriter and Honeysuckle Rose. He performed at several Farm Aid concerts, including the 1986, 1997, and Tenth Anniversary shows. He also appeared on Austin City Limits. The last recording he played on was in 2012. It was for the Dallas Moore Band's live album, "Hank To Thank: Live at Historic Herzog Studio."
Family Life and Later Years
Jody Payne was married to country singer Sammi Smith. They later divorced. They had one son together, named Waylon Payne (born 1972). Waylon also became a musician, singer, and actor. Jody later married his second wife, Vicki, in 1980. They lived in Stapleton, Alabama. They had a son named Austin Payne (born 1981). Jody continued to play music actively until he passed away. He died on August 10, 2013, at the age of 77. He had heart problems.
