Bill Payne


William H. Payne is an American pianist who, with Lowell George, co-founded the American rock band Little Feat. He is considered by many other rock pianists, including Elton John, to be one of the finest American piano rock and blues musicians. In addition to his trademark barrelhouse blues piano, he is noted for his work on the Hammond B3 organ. Payne is an accomplished songwriter whose credits include "Oh, Atlanta". Following the death of Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward on August 12, 2010, Payne is the only member of the group from the original four-piece line-up currently playing in the band.
Payne has worked and recorded with J. J. Cale, Jimmy Buffett, Doobie Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Bryan Adams, Pink Floyd, Bob Seger, Toto, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Helen Watson, Stevie Nicks, Robert Palmer, Richard Torrance, Tommy Emmanuel, Stephen Bruton, and Shocking Edison. He was a guest performer on Bonnie Raitt's album Sweet Forgiveness in 1977, and wrote its track, "Takin' My Time."
Paul Barrere and Bill Payne played several live concerts with Phil Lesh and Friends, from October 1999 through July 2000. Payne was a member of Boulder band Leftover Salmon from 2014 until December 2015.
In August 2015, Payne was selected to play keyboards for The Doobie Brothers after their keyboardist Guy Allison was called to work on an album project in Japan. However, in December 2015 Payne rejoined the Doobies as a touring member, officially taking the position previously held by Allison. In the few weeks of touring with the Doobies, he was featured with the band and Michael McDonald on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Payne's temporary term ended in early September after the Doobies' concert at the BB&T Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey.
WWW billpaynecreative.comFB BillPayneCreative

Other work

Payne was a pioneer in the development of online music communities. In the early 1990s, he contacted his fan base and enlisted the help of friend Jay Herbst to develop the Little Feat Grass-roots Movement. This model went on to be a template for many bands in the creation of their Street Teams, which enlist the help of fans for purposes of music and concert promotion. This method has proven to be an effective vehicle for bringing bands and fans closer together, and forging friendships between them.
Payne now also works as a commercial photographer.

Songwriting (selected)

Payne wrote or co-wrote many of the songs in Little Feat's catalogue, including the following:
  • "Snakes on Everything"
  • "Strawberry Flats"
  • "Truck-Stop Girl"
  • "Brides of Jesus"
  • "Tripe Face Boogie"
  • "Got No Shadow"
  • "Oh, Atlanta"
  • "Somebody's Leavin'"
  • "Time Loves a Hero"
  • "Gringo"
  • "Takin' My Time"
  • "Red Streamliner"
  • "All That You Dream"

Discography

Solo

  • ''Cielo Norte''

Collaborations

With Bonnie Raitt Takin' My Time Home Plate Sweet Forgiveness The Glow Nine Lives
With Shigeru Suzuki
With Robert Palmer Pressure Drop Some People Can Do What They Like Double Fun
With J. J. CaleShades Closer to You
With Brian CaddWhite on White
With Stephen BishopBish
With Jimmy BarnesFor the Working Class Man
With Harry NilssonFlash Harry
With Jackson BrowneFor Everyman The Pretender Hold Out Lawyers in Love Lives in the Balance
With Curtis StigersCurtis Stigers
With Steve HarleyHobo with a Grin
With Emmylou HarrisElite Hotel Pieces of the Sky Blue Kentucky Girl Evangeline White Shoes All I Intended to Be
With Janis IanRestless Eyes
With James ReyneJames Reyne The Whiff of Bedlam
With Rod StewartOut of Order
With Gail DaviesGivin' Herself Away What Can I Say Where Is a Woman to Go
With Steve CropperPlayin' My Thang
With Jeffrey OsborneEmotional
With Michael Martin MurpheyLone Wolf
With Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda RonstadtTrio
With Gregg Allman BandPlayin' Up a Storm
With Jude ColeStart the Car
With Diana DeGarmoBlue Skies
With Bob SegerAgainst the Wind The Distance Like a Rock The Fire Inside It's a Mystery Face the Promise I Knew You When
With Colin JamesColin James
With MelanieSeventh Wave
With B.B. KingDeuces Wild
With Bryan AdamsWaking Up the Neighbours
With Stevie NicksBella Donna Rock a Little
With CherCher
With Shannon McNallyJukebox Sparrows
With Jimmy BuffettLicense to Chill Take the Weather with You
With Shawn ColvinFat City
With Carly SimonNo Secrets Another Passenger Spoiled Girl Coming Around Again
With Richard MarxRepeat Offender Paid Vacation
With Neil DiamondUp on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building The Christmas Album, Volume II
With Emmylou Harris and Rodney CrowellOld Yellow Moon
With Art GarfunkelWatermark
With Julia FordhamFalling Forward
With Gene ParsonsKindling
With Barbra StreisandWet
With Maria MuldaurSweet Harmony Meet Me at Midnite
With Shelby LynneLove, Shelby Identity Crisis
With Jane WiedlinJane Wiedlin
With Dusty SpringfieldIt Begins Again
With DonovanLady of the Stars
With Jennifer WarnesFamous Blue Raincoat
With Melissa ManchesterDon't Cry Out Loud
With Phoebe SnowRock Away
With James TaylorThat's Why I'm Here Never Die Young
With Dolly PartonGreat Balls of Fire Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
With Leo SayerEndless Flight Here
With Valerie CarterJust a Stone's Throw Away
With Yvonne EllimanNight Flight
With Linda RonstadtMad Love Get Closer
With Rita CoolidgeHeartbreak Radio Inside the Fire
With Nicolette LarsonNicolette In the Nick of Time Radioland All Dressed Up and No Place to Go
With Taj MahalDancing the Blues
With Doobie BrothersToulouse Street The Captain and Me Stampede Minute by Minute Cycles World Gone Crazy Live at the Beacon Theatre Liberté
With Tom JohnstonEverything You've Heard Is True
With Patrick Simmons
  • ''Arcade''