Charlie McCoy
| Charlie McCoy | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Ray McCoy |
| Born | March 28, 1941 |
| Origin | Oak Hill, West Virginia, United States |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, harmonica, guitar, bass guitar, drums |
| Years active | 1961–present |
| Labels | Monument, Step One, Koch |
| Associated acts | Bob Dylan, Area Code 615, Barefoot Jerry, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash |
Charles Ray "Charlie" McCoy (born March 28, 1941 in Oak Hill, West Virginia) is a Grammy-winning American session musician noted mainly for his harmonica performance, but also for his skill on a wide variety of instruments. In 2009 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Based in Nashville, McCoy has performed with musicians including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings and Loretta Lynn. He has recorded thirty-seven studio albums, including fourteen for Monument Records. Thirteen of his singles have entered the Billboard country charts. He was a member of Area Code 615 and Barefoot Jerry. In 2007 McCoy was inducted into the International Musicians Hall of Fame as a part a group of session musicians dubbed " The A-Team".
McCoy's family moved to nearby Fayetteville when he was a boy and then to Miami, Florida. At age eight, he began playing the harmonica starting on an instrument his mother bought for 50 cents. He also learned to play the guitar, and in his teens he also learned the bass and trumpet. In high school in Miami his skills had developed to such an extent that he decided to pursue a career in music. He put together a local rock and roll band called "Charlie McCoy and the Agendas" as a guitarist and singer. When he was sixteen years old he reluctantly accompanied a friend to visit a country barn dance radio show in Miami called the "Old South Jamboree". Upon their arrival, McCoy's friend left him in the crowd and went to talk to Happy Harold, the host of the show, with the intention of coaxing McCoy up on stage to sing. McCoy's performance that night, along with the positive response from the show's audience, led to him and his rock band being signed to the Old South Jamboree. His band consisted of Donny Lytle, later known as Johnny Paycheck, on bass; Bill Johnson on steel guitar; Charlie Justice on guitar; and Bill Phillips, vocal. About this time the band took part in a local rock and roll contest, winning first prize.
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