Odie Payne, Jr.

Drummer Odie Payne was created in Chicago on August 27, 1926. Fascinated with music as a kid, Payne paid attention to everything he could easily get his practical — traditional, pop, musicals, big music group. Even while a teen he’d sneak into night clubs to view and pay attention to the actual drummers were performing. He analyzed music through senior high school and was drafted in to the Military when his schoolwork dropped off. After launch from the armed service, Payne analyzed drums and graduated with high honors from your Roy C. Knapp College of Percussion. While using pianist Johnny Jones in 1949, Payne fulfilled Tampa Crimson and soon joined up with Red’s music group. They performed and documented together for quite some time. Payne state governments that he apprenticed himself to Crimson. In 1952 Payne and pianist Johnny Jones became section of Elmore James’s dance music group the Broomdusters. Payne remained with the music group for 3 years, but documented with Adam until 1959 — documenting some 31 singles. He became an extremely sought after studio room musician and, within the afterwards 1950s, documented on many important recordings for the Cobra label, including performers like Otis Hurry, Magic Sam, and Pal Man. Odie Payne created the well-known double-shuffle, afterwards utilized by Fred Below and Sam Place to great impact. Payne documented for Chess including several traditional Chuck Berry music like “Nadine” and “No Particular Spot to Move.” He documented with a lot of the great Chicago blues performers: Otis Rush, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Magic Sam, Yank Rachell, Sleepy John Estes, Small Brother Montgomery, Memphis Minnie, and many more. Much viewed and respected by various other Chicago drummers, Payne was probably most well-known for his brand usage of the cowbell, lightning-fast bass drum pedal, and expanded cymbal and drum rolls. Odie Payne passed away March 1, 1989, in Chicago. Loved and reputed by those that understood him, Payne offered as a job model for most working musicians.