Charlie McCoy – Dylan and Elvis Sideman Plays Harp Live – Soul Country Trailer

Soul Country #9

Airdate Jul 2, 2025

Trailer 04:24

Recorded in Nashville, TN

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Description

Dylan's bandleader on 5 Nashville albums and Elvis's go-to on 13 records, Charlie McCoy is a Hall of Fame harmonica-centric multi-instrumentalist born in the same hospital where Hank Williams perished. In this Soul Country trailer catch Charlie talking about backing Chuck Berry in high school and making a trip to New Orleans to recruit Al Hirt and Pete Fountain for his blues album - punctuated by some serious blasts of harp. Full episode at the link.

Sponsored in part with grants from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.

More about Charlie McCoy

Born Charles Ray McCoy on March 28, 1941, in Oak Hill, West Virginia, Charlie McCoy is a renowned American harmonica virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist whose influence on country music is profound. Raised in Miami, Florida, McCoy began playing harmonica at age eight and moved to Nashville in 1960, where his career as a session musician took off. His harmonica solo on Roy Orbison’s “Candy Man” (1961) launched his reputation, followed by iconic contributions to George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today” (1980) and Barbara Mandrell’s “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” (1981). McCoy played on Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde (1966) and Elvis Presley’s Harum Scarum soundtrack (1965), showcasing his versatility across harmonica, guitar, bass, and more. As a solo artist, he released The Real McCoy (1972), earning a Grammy, and Good Time Charlie (1973), which topped Billboard’s country charts. A member of Area Code 615 and music director for Hee Haw (1978–1997), McCoy was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009 and joined the Grand Ole Opry in 2022.

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