Johnny Paycheck - A Bassist!

[pbassnut]

I always heard when Johnny Paycheck started out he was a bassist which was so cool to me. However I heard he was a trouble maker in his first band but it seems there isn't much to that legend since he seem to be pretty clean cut, pretty calm in this work. I know he probably isn't playing crazy lines but I have to give it to him - to play like that and sing, I for sure can't do! I just finally found this footage and I am shocked it is so old but I guess googling "Johnny Paycheck playing bass" isn't what most people care about... to be fair I looked up his first band he started trouble in not this one. Also I saw pics of him playing steel guitar! Got to give it to him for the bad boy guy he was, he was a talented singer and player. Also as a short dude myself I was shock to see him look so tall but I realize he is wearing Alligator boots with a good 3 inch platform - also George Jones isn't that tall either makes sense... take this job and shove it! I dunno if those stories or legends were true about other bands he play bass in but this is a cool little part of his life I think and for sure a different era of country!


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My first full-time professional band was a Country & Western band that was on the Holiday Inn circuit. This was old school C&W and was around the time that Johnny Paycheck's "Take This Job and Shove It" was a hit. We covered it, but also did his "I'm the Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised" which was my favorite song that we did ...



It even has a little bass break in it.

 

[bassbrad]

It may seem odd today but when I was growing up it was all a part of being a journeyman musician to play bass in a band before returning to guitar and singing. I was mainly a guitar player back then but would double on bass to let the bass guy strum and sing a few songs.

 

[s van order]

Good God, he's playing a Teisco Del Ray! That's frickin awesome!

That was my first bass, branded St George.