Jimmy Payne                                               The Man, His World & His Music

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THE EARLY YEARS

Jimmy wearing that infamous cap

Our photograph collection is growing, thankfully, so we thought we would call this selection "the early years" with some wonderful photographs that we have managed to acquire. We do apologize for the poor quality of some of them – but they are old!

As the caption on this photograph indicates, this is the Statesmen taken sometime between the late 1960's and early 1961. Jimmy says he was in service at the time at Fort Lewis, Washington and played with the band after he had worked with Chuck Glaser. Kenny and Jack were seniors in High School during this period and Jimmy left Fort Lewis in 1961.

Jack Williams is a fine singer/songwriter these days and spends a lot of time on the road. Jimmy says "he's an incredible artist and has many CD's available."

Wayne Manning - who played in The Statesmen and The Country Gentlemen with Jimmy back in the 1960's - provided many of the band photographs on this page.

"The Country Gentlemen" – clockwise from lower left: John Mosley, Roy Staggs, Jimmy Payne and Wayne Manning with Dick Lang in the centre.

The Statesmen in uniform this time. These four young men won second place in the All Army talent show at Fort Ord, California, round about 1960. They are (left to right) Dick Lang, Roy Staggs, Wayne Manning and Jimmy.

This was part of the "Little Grand Ole Opry" that Chuck Glaser organized. Left to right: Roy Staggs, Jerry Spencer, Kenny Williamson, Jimmy, Wayne and Larry "Fats" Talbert.

Wayne Manning and Jimmy together - "girl watching, I imagine!" says Wayne.

This rare photograph comes from the personal album of the Payne family. It shows Dad and Mom Payne seated. At the back is Jimmy, with his brother Cleo, arm in arm. Next to them is their sister Virgie, niece Betty and other sisters Alma, Vinita, Virginia and Bertha. Jimmy reckons he was 18 or 19 at the time and the photograph was taken "in them old cotton fields back home" although you can't see much cotton, Jimmy says.

Photograph © Craig Baguley

Jimmy in the recording studio, listening to playbacks, with pedal steel guitarist Doyle Grisham.

This photograph was featured on the cover of a trade magazine some years ago - probably round about the 1960's.

This is from the sleeve of the Password LP "The Album Version" (PASS A0002) and was taken by Jim Glaser. Our appreciation goes to Jon Philibert, in London, England (who wrote one of the songs on the album) for sending us a copy of the record.

The above feature appeared in the British magazine Country Music People, issue number 3, dated  March 1986 and is by Doug McKenzie. The caption reads: Jimmy Payne – a member of the elite million-airs club, as one of the songs he co-wrote, "Woman, Woman" has had a million plays on the radio in the USA. Twenty years on and "Woman, Woman" has exceeded four million plays!

Jimmy undertook many tours in the UK in the mid to late 1970's

Jimmy is pictured here – perhaps about 1974 – with the Mayor of Faversham, Councillor John Jayes. Jimmy was presenting a cheque, on behalf of the members of Faversham Country Music Club, to a fund that was established for a lady whose husband was killed in accident.

Jimmy in Kent, England during a UK tour in 1975. He is pictured here presenting an award to Carol Upton who was voted Miss Faversham.

The quality of this photograph is far from perfect but we couldn't miss the opportunity to show Jimmy with the British band Frank Jennings' Syndicate. They are (left to right) Barry Smith (steel guitar), Bob Pearce (drums), Frank (drunk or nearly there, he says,) Jimmy, Karl Benson (bass) and Alain Waite (piano.) This, too, was in 1975.

This photograph shows Jimmy with Jacqui Dancer and her daughter in 1975.

Jimmy pictured in 1977, with his daughter Amanda. The lady on the right is Ann Trice who used to run his UK Fan Club.

This is Caroline Baker, a former Miss Faversham (1977) with Jimmy's wife, Jo, and their baby daughter Amanda.

John Wimble, his wife Pat and friends, ran the Golden Spur Country Music Club for about eight years and during this time Jimmy became their honorary President. He appeared on a couple of occasions with Frank Jennings' Syndicate but turned up at some of their country music nights with his friends Ann and Bill Trice and performed a couple of songs with resident band, Young Country.

One time, John recalls, "When our hall was packed to bursting point there was such a huge roar from the crowd as the audience saw who had walked in – it was Jimmy making a surprise visit."

During this time – in the late 1970's – the Golden Spur, in Faversham, was the largest registered club in the 'home counties' and had a large waiting list for membership.

Photograph by Ian Tilbury

Jimmy on stage during one of his many tours of England

The three posters above were sent to us by Dave Gould who played banjo and bass with the Kelvin Henderson Band from Bristol, England. It highlights other visits made by Jimmy to the United Kingdom. All posters are from 1974.

This is Dave with Jimmy at the Laughing Waters Hotel

A signed photograph to Dave saying how much he enjoyed the tour

Jimmy on the Grand Ole Opry

© Jimmy Payne Music

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