Willie Nelson speak of first touring with Ray When I joined Chet Atkins’s band, he had signed I was always lucky to be in bands that had really
Price as his bass player. The interviewer said me to RCA records. He had already signed me good guitar players. I was a kid learning to play
to Willie, “I didn’t know that you played bass”, and was producing me, and we had put out a guitar, and I was pretty good, but… My Dad
to which Willie humorlessly responded, “Well, couple of singles that kind of did okay, but not had a guy named Jim Davis, and when I was a
everyone plays bass a little bit”. This obviously great. Then he asked me to go on the road and kid I played drums, I played bass and I played
does not apply to you. You even won a Bass play bass with him, so of course I took that job, drums with my Dad a lot. I was not a drummer
Guitarist of the Year award from the CMA. What I didn’t have any money, I was broke and trying but he needed a drummer. I thought I knew the
can you tell us about your early bass guitar to get a hit record going. It was rough times for songs, but I really had to learn the technique
leanings? me, so I said, “Heck yeah, I’ll do it.” And the and stuff just enough to get by, I wasn’t really
guitar position was filled for sure in that band good. But he had a guy that played in his band
[Steve Wariner] Ha! Man, Willie had it right! (by Chet). So, (laughs) I jumped on the road and named Jim Davis that taught guitar in our local
I’ve heard him say that too. I played bass early went and toured with him while we were trying music store, and I learned a ton from that guy
on in bands. I played bass because that’s what to make hit records, and eventually we got our as I was coming up. My Dad was a Fender guy,
they needed, it was just like self defense. Every first hit. he played a Fender Jazzmaster. I still have my
band that I played in, like the Dottie West band, Dad’s Jazzmaster that I learned to play on, a
they came to me and said their bass player was ’61 Jazzmaster. And my Dad was a pretty
leaving. I was a high school senior and was
told, “Our bass player is leaving and we need
a bass player that sings.” I said, “I’m in.” I was
a guitar player, but I just wanted to get down
there (Nashville), and so I took that job.
Then Bob Luman came up to me three years
later. I’d left Dottie and was writing with a
publishing company. I’d really wanted to get
off the road. At that time Dottie was hot and
toured two hundred days a year. I was just
worn out. I had never done anything like that
in my life. I was just wanting to get off the road,
I was so beat up, and I was wanting to just
write. It wasn’t but a month and I was with Bob
Luman at the Grand Ole Opry and he said, “Oh
my God, I need a bass player! Will you go with
me to Texas?” I said, “When are you leaving?”
And he says, “We’re leaving in two hours, we’re
going to Houston.” (laughs) I said, “Well, I guess
“Do not be afraid good guitar player, and he loved Chet Atkins
to dream really my love for music in general. My Dad loved
big. Go for it. He loved the classic country stuff like Hank
If that’s what of that up, and he would explain it to me: the
you feel in your along and George Jones; Chet Atkins records, I
heart. Music, or I got deep into Chet.
whatever it is. I [WM] What was that “Aha!” moment for you in
and Merle Travis. And that’s where I learned
bluegrass, but his tastes were very eclectic.
Williams and Johnny Cash, and I was eating all
Louvin brothers; and then Buck Owens came
can tell you it can
was infatuated with Chet’s playing, that’s where
your pursuit of music for a lifetime?
[Steve] I think I was around eleven or twelve
happen for you. years old, my Dad cut a record, just a little
I’m proof of it.” because they had a big studio down there and
I can”. So, I jumped on the bus with Bob and
regional 45rpm, we went to Indianapolis
we cut this record. I actually played drums on
that (if you wanna call it that), and my brother
stayed with him almost two years. Again, he
played bass (if you wanna call it that - laughs).
just needed a bass player. But I was studying It’s a joke in a way, but after our first hit Chet We were both not very good. But Jim Davis, the
guitar at the time. I was really a guitar player. called me in and said, “You got your first top ten guy I was speaking of earlier who was a really
hit!” A song called “Your Memory” in ’79, and I good guitar player, he played guitar. We went to
said, “Yessir”. Chet said, “That’s great, you’re the studio and cut the 45, my first session I was
fired!” I said, “What?” And he said, “You’ve got ever on in a real studio and I was twelve years
to get out and get your own stuff going, get out old. I didn’t know anything from a hole in the
of my band.” And he kicked me out, lovingly ground. But we went in, my Dad was a really
kicked me out of the nest, which was the best good singer, and Jim Davis was a really good
thing that ever happened. We joked about it, guitarist, and we cut the record.
we were friends until the day he died. We were
best friends and he always joked about that.
I would listen to WIRE Radio up in Indianapolis,
Steve on Bass
December 2019
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