Education
He studied music in high school.
He studied music in high school.
Over his long career he worked with a range of musicians, including Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Little Johnny Jones, Tampa Red, Otis Rush, Yank Rachell, Sleepy John Estes, Little Brother Montgomery, Memphis Minnie, Magic Sam, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Guy. Born Odie Payne Junior. in Chicago, Illinois, he was interested in music from an early age and did not limit himself to a narrow musical genre. He was drafted into the Army, and upon his discharge he graduated from the Roy C. Knapp School of Percussion.
By 1949 Payne was playing along with the pianist Little Johnny Jones, before meeting Tampa Red and joining his band.
The association lasted for around three years. In 1952, Payne and Jones joined Elmore James"s band, the Broomdusters.
Payne played with the Broomdusters for another three years, although his recording association with them lasted until 1959. In total he recorded thirty-one singles with them, including "The Sky Is Crying".
By this time Payne had become a favored session musician, playing through that decade with Otis Rush, Magic Sam, and Buddy Guy on Cobra Records.
He also played on various records released by Chess Records, including the Chuck Berry hit singles "Nadine", "You Never Can Tell", "Promised Land" and "Number Particular Place to Go" (1964) All appeared on the Berry"s 1982 compilation album, The Great Twenty-Eight.