Harold, Reggie And Joe

Harold Bradley died today. He was 93. This kind man is thought to be the most-recorded instrumentalist in history. He was there when Music Row was born. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and heard on many of Country music's most famous recordings.

Harold and his brother producer Owen Bradley really are the founders of Music Row. Seek out their bios and you will be in awe.

The studio musician still exists, but not like it did in the late '40s until the early 2000s, when the home studio became the vogue.

Reggie Young was one of the greatest lead session guitarists in Memphis and Nashville during the '60s until the early 2000s. He passed away January 17th. He was 82.

Joe Osborn was a legendary Hollywood and Nashville electric bass player. On more Top 40s #1's than any other bass player. He was 81.

Reggie was a Memphis, Joe was in the Wreck Crew and Harold was one of the "A" Team. All three were quiet giants. The songs they contributed to really do make up the soundtracks of our lives ... Pop and Country!

Please do yourself a favor and Google all three men. Read what they did. Most people outside the music business never heard their names mentioned. Their licks on "Jingle Bell Rock" (Harold), "Hooked on a Feeling" (Reggie) and "Let the Sunshine" in (Joe) add that special spice that helped make the songs so memorable. You felt their presence, but really never knew they existed.

It was their job to support. They were the carpenters and at times, architects, too. In the days of vinyl, you might have seen their names on albums notes. Mostly they got paid a few hundred dollars while the songs went on to make millions.

The studio musician is such an important part of the music we all love. Motown, The Beach Boys, Muscle Shoals, Memphis, Music City. The boys who make the noise on 16th Avenue and everywhere else. A big salute to all the studio stars everywhere. Dig a little ... their stories are so interesting. Jimmy Page was one, Glen Campbell and so many more.

Tim McGraw gets in the Super Bowl pre-game. That's a pretty big booking. His wife gets on TV after the game in a multi-episode talent contest on CBS called The World's Best.

Any predictions on Cody Johnson? His first major label album debuts #1 on Billboard. He gets a night of his own at Rodeo Houston (50,000-plus?). He's a star in the Lone Star state, but will he break out? He's a long way from the last breakout star Kane Brown. Where is this merry-go-round going?

Jeopardy answer and question: What was Country Music's first million seller? Harold Bradley played on it.

1947 Red Foley's "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy".