All Current Photos: Alan Mercer
There are numerous super-session musicians in Nashville, but very few with the longevity of Charlie McCoy. In addition to being a fixture in Nashville studios for 48 years, he also has his own recording career going full tilt. He has recorded 35 solo albums. He served as the music director for eighteen years for the syndicated television series, ‘Hee Haw.’
Charlie McCoy began working sessions in the early 60s, one of the first being ‘Candy Man’ by Roy Orbison. It got Roy another hit and Charlie a career. For a twenty-year-old to make $49 for three hours work back then was a dream.
Shortly after the release of ‘Candy Man,’ Charlie became one of the in-demand session players in Nashville. His session credits are literally a who’s who of country music. For a fifteen-year stretch, he did more than 400 sessions a year. A grand total would number more than 12,000. (and he’s still going) In the last twenty years, he has been touring more with many appearances in Europe and Japan.
In addition to country sessions, Charlie was a mainstay on Elvis Presley recordings both in Nashville and Los Angeles. When Bob Dylan recorded ‘Highway 61,’’Blond On Blond,’ ‘John Wesley Harding,’ and ‘Nashville Skyline,’ Charlie was there, playing on these land-mark recordings. He was also heard on Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘The Boxer’ in addition to many hits from genres other than country music.
Charlie McCoy began recording for Monument Records in the late 60s and recorded 14 albums for the label, beginning with ‘The World Of Charlie McCoy.’ He won the Grammy in 1972 for his album, ‘The Real McCoy.’ He won CMA’s “Instrumentalist Of The Year” two times and the Academy Of Country Music’s “Specialty Instrument Award” seven times. He is a member of the “International Musician’s Hall Of Fame” and the “West Virginia Music Hall Of Fame”.
In addition to making his own recordings, Charlie was a member of a legendary recording band, “Area Code 615”. The band featured many of the top session players in Nashville. While Charlie predominately known as a harmonica player, his musical prowess encompasses other instruments including guitar, bass, mallet percussion, (vibes, marimba, bells, Etc.), keyboards, and various wind instruments.
Charlie has toured in Europe and Japan regularly since 1989 and has released albums in France, Denmark, Germany and the Czech Republic.
In addition to ‘Hee Haw,’ Charlie served a music director for other television shows including ‘The Colgate Country Showdown’ and ‘The Arthritus Telethon.’ He was in the house band for the TNN show ‘Music City Tonight’ with Crook and Chase.
Charlie was given the “Musician” award from the Reunion Of Professional Entertainers” in 1994, elected to the German-American Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1998, The Hall Of Fame of the North American Country Music Association International in 2000, the International Musicians’ Hall Of Fame and the Old Time Country Music Hall of fame in 2007, and the West Virginia Music Hall Of fame in 2008.
On Feb. 4, 2009, it was announced that Charlie would be inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame along with Roy Clark and Barbara Mandrell. If you need a harp on your record, Charlie is “Still Harpin’.”
Alan Mercer: Charlie, how is it that you’ve been on almost every major hit record the last 50 years!?!
Charlie McCoy: Well, I’ve been in Nashville a long time. I was blessed to get there right at the “right time.” There was a need for what I do.
AM: There you go.
CM: There is a saying that goes, “The opportunity of a lifetime has to be taken during the lifetime of the opportunity.”
AM: I’ve never heard that one before.
CM: You can’t predict this stuff. My timing was just perfect. My move into studio work was relatively easy. It’s a blessing, the way it all worked. It’s like a fairytale.
AM: Sounds very much like a fairytale.
CM: The fact that it’s 57 years later and I’m still getting called is what’s really amazing.
AM: I think it’s great and shows how brilliant you are at playing.
CM: I don’t work for any of the mainstream people anymore, which is OK for me because…I don’t much care for the music they’re making today. I still work a lot.
AM: Why do you think you continue to work so much?
CM: I just love the process. I love to be in the studio with other people playing together. I do some of that internet work where it’s just me and it’s OK, but I’d much rather be with other musicians.
AM: Which is what you grew up on, which takes real talent and skill. I’m with you. I like it recorded LIVE and if somebody screws up you start over.
CM: Right! That’s the way it was when I broke in. We didn’t have the technology to do it any other way. And you’re right, if somebody messed up you did it again. Nobody wanted to be that guy.
AM: I can’t imagine it happening much. Did any musicians make a mistake often?
CM: No. The attention level was amazing. Today, a lot of the young people know they can do it over, so they don’t really “go for it.” A lot of them play to replay. I’m saying, “Hey, let’s do this.”
AM: That’s the difference in the quality of the outcome.
CM: I agree. You hear all the classic Country records, well that’s the way they were made. The singer was there. The background singers were there. What you hear is what you get.
AM: Do you think that’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the business?
CM: Yes, the biggest change. Technology can be an aid, or it can be a crutch. Unfortunately, today it’s used too much as a crutch.
AM: I think the labels are pushing people with less talent.
CM: Amen to that. They sign artists with a camera instead of a tape recorder now. All they need to do is look good on camera.
AM: These people will not make it to your age and still be relevant.
CM: I think you’re right. For artists to have a career like Willie or Loretta Lynn…I don’t think we’ll ever see that again.
AM: But you got to work with all these GREAT artists!
CM: Yep.
AM: Do you have a favorite experience or is it all one big favorite?
CM: It’s mainly one big favorite but there are a few standouts. The Statler Brothers were one of my favorites and Tom T. Hall. I loved most all of them. Conway and Loretta were great. I worked with a lot of Rock people too. Simon and Garfunkel and Bob Dylan.
AM: Dylan, probably the most elusive of all.
CM: He was elusive alright. He didn’t know the response to hello.
AM: I believe it. Do you give advice to young musicians?
CM: Well, if you’re a musician, not being a star, like in the background. Just remember this, the singer and the song are the picture and we’re the frame. Our job is to frame the picture, not take over the picture. A lot of young musicians have amazing talent, but they don’t know when to lay out. Knowing when not to play is as important as knowing when to play.
AM: You are so full of valuable information.
CM: I learned from the best, the Nashville A-Team guys. I could not have bought that education.
To learn more about Charlie McCoy visit his web site https://www.charliemccoy.com/