View source for Bill Payne

{{short description|American pianist (born 1949)}}
{{Other people}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Bill Payne
| image             = Bill Payne 2010.jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = Payne with [[Little Feat]] at a benefit for [[Richie Hayward]], Burlington, Vermont, January 14, 2010
| birth_name        = William H. Payne
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1949|3|12}}
| birth_place       = [[Waco, Texas|Waco]], Texas, U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://billpaynecreative.com/about/|title=About – Bill Payne Creative}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-payne-mn0000086938|title=Bill Payne Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More ...|website=AllMusic}}</ref>
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Rock and roll|Rock]]|[[roots rock]]<ref>[https://www.explorebigsky.com/a-conversation-with-little-feats-bill-payne/9777 Bill Payne] Explorebigsky.com  Retrieved 9 July 2024</ref>|[[blues rock]]|[[swamp rock]]|[[jam band]]|[[boogie rock]]}}
| occupation        = {{hlist|Musician|songwriter|record producer}}
| instrument        = {{hlist|Vocals|keyboards}}
| years_active      = 1969–present
| label             = Hot Tomato
| current_member_of = [[Little Feat]]
| past_member_of    = {{hlist|[[Phil Lesh and Friends]]|[[Leftover Salmon]]|[[The Doobie Brothers]]}}
| website           = {{URL|billpaynecreative.com}}
}}

'''William H. Payne''' (born March 12, 1949) is an American pianist who, with [[Lowell George]], co-founded the American rock band [[Little Feat]].<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p112956/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Bill Payne|last=Skelly|first=Richard|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|access-date=26 April 2010}}</ref> He is considered by many other rock pianists, including [[Elton John]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wharf.co.uk/2009/04/interview-little-feats-bill-pa.html|title=Interview: Little Feat's Bill Payne|access-date=18 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003145854/http://www.wharf.co.uk/2009/04/interview-little-feats-bill-pa.html|archive-date=3 October 2011}}</ref> 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 (band)|Toto]], [[Linda Ronstadt]], [[Jackson Browne]], [[Carly Simon]], [[James Taylor]], [[Bonnie Raitt]], [[Helen Watson (singer / songwriter)|Helen Watson]], [[Stevie Nicks]], [[Robert Palmer (singer)|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, Colorado|Boulder]] band [[Leftover Salmon]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jambands.com/news/2014/09/16/bill-payne-now-officially-a-member-of-leftover-salmon/|title=Bill Payne Now Officially a Member of Leftover Salmon|date=16 September 2014|website=Jambands.com|access-date=18 January 2021}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://billpaynecreative.com/events/|title=Events – Bill Payne Creative|website=Billpaynecreative.com|access-date=18 January 2021}}</ref>  In the few weeks of touring with the Doobies, he was featured with the band and [[Michael McDonald (singer)|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.

== 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 Team]]s, 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://billpaynecreative.com/|title=Bill Payne Creative|website=Billpaynecreative.com|access-date=18 January 2021}}</ref>

==Songwriting (selected)==
Payne wrote or co-wrote many of the songs in Little Feat's catalogue, including the following:
{{div col}}
*"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"
{{div col end}}

== Discography ==
=== Little Feat ===
{{main|Little Feat discography}}

===Solo===
* ''Cielo Norte'' (2005)

== Collaborations ==
{{div col}}
'''With [[Bonnie Raitt]]''' 
* ''[[Takin' My Time]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1973)
* ''[[Home Plate (album)|Home Plate]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1975)
* ''[[Sweet Forgiveness]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1977)
* ''[[The Glow (Bonnie Raitt album)|The Glow]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1979)
* ''[[Nine Lives (Bonnie Raitt album)|Nine Lives]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1986)

'''With [[Shigeru Suzuki]]'''
*''[[Band Wagon (album)|Band Wagon]]'' (Panam/Crown, 1975)

'''With [[Robert Palmer (singer)|Robert Palmer]]''' 
* ''[[Pressure Drop (album)|Pressure Drop]]'' (Island Records, 1975)
* ''[[Some People Can Do What They Like]]'' (Island Records, 1976)
* ''[[Double Fun]]'' (Island Records, 1978)

'''With [[J. J. Cale]]'''
* ''[[Shades (J. J. Cale album)|Shades]]'' (Island Records, 1981)
* ''[[Closer to You (J. J. Cale album)|Closer to You]]'' (Virgin Records, 1994)

'''With [[Brian Cadd]]'''
* ''[[White on White (album)|White on White]]'' (Capitol Records, 1976)

'''With [[Stephen Bishop (singer)|Stephen Bishop]]'''
* ''[[Bish (album)|Bish]]'' (ABC Records, 1978)

'''With [[Jimmy Barnes]]'''
* ''[[For the Working Class Man]]'' (Mushroom Records, 1985)

'''With [[Harry Nilsson]]'''
* ''[[Flash Harry (album)|Flash Harry]]'' (Mercury Records, 1980)

'''With [[Jackson Browne]]'''
* ''[[For Everyman]]'' (Asylum Records, 1973)
* ''[[The Pretender (album)|The Pretender]]'' (Asylum Records, 1976)
* ''[[Hold Out]]'' (Asylum Records, 1980)
* ''[[Lawyers in Love]]'' (Asylum Records, 1983)
* ''[[Lives in the Balance]]'' (Asylum Records, 1986)

'''With [[Curtis Stigers]]'''
* ''[[Curtis Stigers (album)|Curtis Stigers]]'' (Arista Records, 1991)

'''With [[Steve Harley]]'''
* ''[[Hobo with a Grin]]'' (EMI, 1978)

'''With [[Emmylou Harris]]'''
* ''[[Elite Hotel]]'' (Reprise Records, 1975)
* ''[[Pieces of the Sky]]'' (Reprise Records, 1975)
* ''[[Blue Kentucky Girl (Emmylou Harris album)|Blue Kentucky Girl]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1979)
* ''[[Evangeline (Emmylou Harris album)|Evangeline]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981)
* ''[[White Shoes]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1983)
* ''[[All I Intended to Be]]'' (Nonesuch Records, 2008)

'''With [[Janis Ian]]'''
* ''Restless Eyes'' (Columbia Records, 1981)

'''With [[James Reyne]]'''
* ''[[James Reyne (album)|James Reyne]]'' (Capitol Records, 1987)
* ''[[The Whiff of Bedlam]]'' (RooArt, 1994)

'''With [[Rod Stewart]]'''
* ''[[Out of Order (Rod Stewart album)|Out of Order]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1988)

'''With [[Gail Davies]]'''
* ''Givin' Herself Away'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1982)
* ''What Can I Say'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1983)
* ''Where Is a Woman to Go'' (RCA Records, 1984)

'''With [[Steve Cropper]]'''
* ''Playin' My Thang'' (MCA Records, 1981)

'''With [[Jeffrey Osborne]]'''
* ''[[Emotional (Jeffrey Osborne album)|Emotional]]'' (A&M Records, 1986)

'''With [[Michael Martin Murphey]]'''
* ''[[Lone Wolf (Michael Martin Murphey album)|Lone Wolf]]'' (Epic Records, 1978)

'''With [[Dolly Parton]], [[Emmylou Harris]] and [[Linda Ronstadt]]'''
* ''[[Trio (Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris album)|Trio]]'' (Warner Bros, Records, 1987)

'''With [[Gregg Allman Band]]'''
* ''[[Playin' Up a Storm]]'' (Capricorn Records, 1977)

'''With [[Jude Cole]]'''
* ''[[Start the Car]]'' (Reprise Records, 1992)

'''With [[Diana DeGarmo]]'''
* ''[[Blue Skies (Diana DeGarmo album)|Blue Skies]]'' (RCA Records, 2004)

'''With [[Bob Seger]]'''
* ''[[Against the Wind (album)|Against the Wind]]'' (Capitol Records, 1980)
* ''[[The Distance (Bob Seger album)|The Distance]]'' (Capitol Records, 1982)
* ''[[Like a Rock]]'' (Capitol Records, 1986)
* ''[[The Fire Inside (Bob Seger album)|The Fire Inside]]'' (Capitol Records, 1991)
* ''[[It's a Mystery]]'' (Capitol Records, 1995)
* ''[[Face the Promise]]'' (Capitol Records, 2006)
* ''[[I Knew You When (album)|I Knew You When]]'' (Capitol Records, 2017)

'''With [[Colin James]]'''
* ''[[Colin James (album)|Colin James]]'' (Virgin Records, 1988)

'''With [[Melanie (singer)|Melanie]]'''
* ''Seventh Wave'' (Neighbourhood Records, 1983)

'''With [[B.B. King]]'''
* ''[[Deuces Wild (B.B. King album)|Deuces Wild]]'' (MCA Records, 1997)

'''With [[Bryan Adams]]'''
* ''[[Waking Up the Neighbours]]'' (A&M Records, 1991)

'''With [[Stevie Nicks]]'''
* ''[[Bella Donna (album)|Bella Donna]]'' (Atco Records, 1981)
* ''[[Rock a Little]]'' (Modern Records, 1985)

'''With [[Cher]]'''
* ''[[Cher (1987 album)|Cher]]'' (Geffen, 1987)

'''With [[Shannon McNally]]'''
* ''[[Jukebox Sparrows]]'' (Capitol Records, 2002)

'''With [[Jimmy Buffett]]'''
* ''[[License to Chill]]'' (RCA Records, 2004)
* ''[[Take the Weather with You]]'' (RCA Records, 2006)

'''With [[Shawn Colvin]]'''
* ''[[Fat City (Shawn Colvin album)|Fat City]]'' (Columbia Records, 1992)

'''With [[Carly Simon]]'''
* ''[[No Secrets (Carly Simon album)|No Secrets]]'' (Elektra Records, 1972)
* ''[[Another Passenger]]'' (Elektra Records, 1976)
* ''[[Spoiled Girl]]'' (Epic Records, 1985)
* ''[[Coming Around Again (album)|Coming Around Again]]'' (Arista Records, 1987)

'''With [[Richard Marx]]'''
* ''[[Repeat Offender (Richard Marx album)|Repeat Offender]]'' (Capitol Records, 1989)
* ''[[Paid Vacation (album)|Paid Vacation]]'' (Capitol Records, 1994)

'''With [[Neil Diamond]]'''
* ''[[Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building]]'' (Columbia Records, 1993)
* ''[[The Christmas Album, Volume II]]'' (Columbia Records, 1994)

'''With [[Emmylou Harris]] and [[Rodney Crowell]]'''
* ''[[Old Yellow Moon]]'' (Nonesuch Records, 2013)

'''With [[Art Garfunkel]]'''
* ''[[Watermark (Art Garfunkel album)|Watermark]]'' (Columbia Records, 1977)

'''With [[Julia Fordham]]'''
* ''[[Falling Forward (Julia Fordham album)|Falling Forward]]'' (Virgin Records, 1994)

'''With [[Gene Parsons]]'''
* ''[[Kindling (album)|Kindling]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1973)

'''With [[Barbra Streisand]]'''
* ''[[Wet (album)|Wet]]'' (Columbia Records, 1979)

'''With [[Maria Muldaur]]'''
* ''[[Sweet Harmony (album)|Sweet Harmony]]'' (Reprise Records, 1976)
* ''[[Meet Me at Midnite]]'' (Black Top Records, 1994)

'''With [[Shelby Lynne]]'''
* ''[[Love, Shelby]]'' (Island Records, 2001)
* ''[[Identity Crisis (Shelby Lynne album)|Identity Crisis]]'' (Capitol Records, 2003)

'''With [[Jane Wiedlin]]'''
* ''[[Jane Wiedlin (album)|Jane Wiedlin]]'' (IRS Records, 1985)

'''With [[Dusty Springfield]]'''
* ''[[It Begins Again]]'' (Mercury Records, 1978)

'''With [[Donovan]]'''
* ''[[Lady of the Stars]]'' (RCA Records, 1984)

'''With [[Jennifer Warnes]]'''
* ''[[Famous Blue Raincoat (album)|Famous Blue Raincoat]]'' (Cypress Records, 1986)

'''With [[Melissa Manchester]]'''
* ''[[Don't Cry Out Loud (Melissa Manchester album)|Don't Cry Out Loud]]'' (Arista Records, 1978)

'''With [[Phoebe Snow]]'''
* ''Rock Away'' (Mirage, 1981)

'''With [[James Taylor]]'''
* ''[[That's Why I'm Here]]'' (Columbia Records, 1985)
* ''[[Never Die Young]]'' (Columbia Records, 1988)

'''With [[Dolly Parton]]'''
* ''[[Great Balls of Fire (Dolly Parton album)|Great Balls of Fire]]'' (RCA Records, 1979)
* ''[[Dolly, Dolly, Dolly]]'' (RCA Victor, 1981)

'''With [[Leo Sayer]]'''
* ''[[Endless Flight (album)|Endless Flight]]'' (Chrysalis Records, 1976)
* ''[[Here (Leo Sayer album)|Here]]'' (Chrysalis Records, 1979)

'''With [[Valerie Carter]]'''
* ''[[Just a Stone's Throw Away]]'' (Columbia Records, 1977)

'''With [[Yvonne Elliman]]'''
* ''Night Flight'' (RSO Records, 1978)

'''With [[Linda Ronstadt]]'''
* ''[[Mad Love (Linda Ronstadt album)|Mad Love]]'' (Asylum Records, 1980)
* ''[[Get Closer (Linda Ronstadt album)|Get Closer]]'' (Asylum Records, 1982)

'''With [[Rita Coolidge]]'''
* ''[[Heartbreak Radio]]'' (A&M Records, 1981)
* ''Inside the Fire'' (A&M Records, 1984)

'''With [[Nicolette Larson]]'''
* ''[[Nicolette (album)|Nicolette]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1978)
* ''[[In the Nick of Time (album)|In the Nick of Time]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1979)
* ''[[Radioland (album)|Radioland]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981)
* ''[[All Dressed Up and No Place to Go]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1981)

'''With [[Taj Mahal]]'''
* ''[[Dancing the Blues]]'' (Private Music, 1993)

'''With [[Doobie Brothers]]'''
* ''[[Toulouse Street]]'' (Warner Brothers, 1972)
* ''[[The Captain and Me]]'' (Warner Brothers, 1973
* ''[[What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits]]'' (Warner Brothers, 1974)
* ''[[Stampede (The Doobie Brothers album)|Stampede]]'' (Warner Brothers, 1975)
* ''[[Minute by Minute]]'' (Warner Brothers, 1978)
* ''[[Cycles (The Doobie Brothers album)|Cycles]]'' (Capital Records, 1989)
* ''[[World Gone Crazy (The Doobie Brothers album)|World Gone Crazy]]'' (HOR Records, 2010)
* ''Live at the Beacon Theatre'' (Rhino Records, 2019)
* ''[[Liberté (The Doobie Brothers album)|Liberté]]'' (Island Records, 2021)

'''With [[Tom Johnston (musician)|Tom Johnston]]'''
* ''[[Everything You've Heard Is True]]'' (Warner Brothers, 1979)

'''With [[Patrick Simmons]]'''
*''[[Arcade (Patrick Simmons album)|Arcade]]'' (Elektra, 1983)

{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.littlefeat.net/band-member-disography.html#bill Bill Payne Discography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428085027/http://www.littlefeat.net/band-member-disography.html#bill |date=2018-04-28 }}
* [http://www.littlefeat.net Little Feat website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060901232652/http://www.evans-family.com/bills.htm#wild Something Wild (1966)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050213005542/http://littlegringo.de/FEAT/record/Certain_Fury.htm Certain Fury O.S.T. (1985)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130623083156/http://shockingedison.com/ Shocking Edison Website]

{{Little Feat}}
{{The Doobie Brothers}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Payne, Bill}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from Waco, Texas]]
[[Category:American session musicians]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Texas]]
[[Category:Little Feat members]]
[[Category:American rock keyboardists]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American rock songwriters]]
[[Category:American rock singers]]
[[Category:American male organists]]
[[Category:American rock pianists]]
[[Category:American male jazz pianists]]
[[Category:American jazz keyboardists]]
[[Category:American jazz pianists]]
[[Category:American funk keyboardists]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American keyboardists]]
[[Category:21st-century American pianists]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American organists]]
[[Category:Leftover Salmon members]]
[[Category:20th-century American keyboardists]]