If you’ve listened to iconic albums such as Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan, Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel, or Beaucoups of Blues by Ringo Starr, then you’ve heard the work of this Vinyl Vibes guest.
On this edition, Jack Hodgins is joined by none other than Charlie McCoy, a legendary session musician. Charlie began his musical journey in 1949 when, at the age of eight, he bought his first harmonica for 50 cents from a comic book ad. After trying to make it as a performer, Charlie discovered that session work would be his true calling after witnessing the recording process of Brenda Lee’s 1959 hit Sweet Nothin’s. His big break as a session musician came in 1961 when he played harmonica on Roy Orbison’s Candy Man, which became a Top 40 hit.
Throughout the 1960s, Charlie played with the likes of Bob Dylan on albums such as Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde. He also appeared on 13 Elvis Presley albums and played bass harmonica on Simon & Garfunkel’s The Boxer. In 1972, Charlie received a Grammy for his solo album The Real McCoy, establishing him as a respected solo artist in his own right.