Oldham, Spooner (14 June 1943

Keyboardist and singer-songwriter from Center Star, Alabama, who began playing piano as a teen and went on to attend the University of North Alabama, although he was frequently in absentia as he was much more interested in what was going on at Florence Alabama Music Studio (FAME). His first recording credit was “You Better Move On” by Arthur Alexander. He was a founding member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, which backed artists such as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Percy Sledge.

In 1965, he and Dan Penn penned their first hit record, “Let’s Do it Over”, which Joe Simon took to #13 on the R&B chart. The two of them moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where they continued to collaborate with Chip Moman at American Recordings Studios. Some of their hits included: “Cry Like a Baby” by The Box Tops; “The Dark End of the Street” by James Carr; “I’m Your Puppet” by James & Bobby Purify; and, “A Woman Left Lonely” by Janis Joplin.

Eventually, Spooner relocated to Los Angeles, California, where he found plenty of work as a session musician for the likes of Dickey Betts, Frank Black, Delaney Bramlett, Jackson Browne, J.J. Cale, Gene Clark, Joe Cocker, Ry Cooder, Willy DeVille, The Everly Brothers, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Hacienda Brothers, and Linda Ronstadt. In 1977, he began an artistic collaboration with Neil Young which continues to this day. He opened the 1980s with Bob Dylan on Saved and Shot of Love and performed on the subsequent tours.

In 1994, he hooked up with his old partner-in-crime, Dan Penn, in support of Dan’s first solo effort in two decades, Do Right Man. Their itinerary included a stop in London, England, where they opened for Nick Lowe. Bits of these concerts were captured “live” on the 1998 album, Moments From This Theatre. The album was reissued in 2006 to capitalize on another upcoming tour of the U.K. It was a busy year for Spooner, who also found time to tour with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and appear in a pair of films: CSNY’s Déjà vu and Neil Young: Heart of Gold. In 2007, he joined Drive-By Truckers for “The Dirt Underneath” Tour. He was back in the studio with Amos Lee on his CD, Last Days at the Lodge, which was released in 2008.

On 4^th April 2009, Spooner was enshrined in The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Other highlights from the same year included Farm Aid 2009, which took place in Saint Louis, Missouri, and an appearance on the radio program, The Sucarnochee Revue. In 2014 he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

Joe Stampley recordings
Cry Like a Baby (Spooner Oldham/Dan Penn)

Sources:

Oldham, Spooner (14 June 1943–Present)

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