FINAL NOTES
Richie Albright July 10, 1939 — Feb. 9, 2021
L
egendary drummer Richie Albright, went against the tide when it came to how 81, died Feb. 9, 2021. He played records were made. Initially the label refused with Waylon Jennings for over 30 to allow him to use his band on recordings, years, and the artist called him his “right so in 1972 he renegotiated his contract, and arm.” The two met in 1964 in Phoenix, Aribrought the Waymores into the studio. Alzona and worked tobright would go on to gether until Jennings’ play on 1973’s Lone“He was one of the death. But Albright’s some On’ry and Mean, most unique drummers 1976’s Are You Ready career stretched far and wide, and he for the Country, and I’ve worked with. He leaves a big legacy as the 1973 collection a part of the Outlaw understood what made a of Billy Joe Shaver movement that made record work. He was not songs Honky Tonk an indelible impresHeroes. Albright’s drivsion across multiple only a great drummer but ing four-on-the-floor genres of music. He drumming style was a great producer." was a life member of considered integral to — Jerry Bridges the Nashville Musithe Outlaw sound. “I cians Association who was very influenced by joined the local Dec. 20, 1974. Levon Helm during The Band era back then Albright was born in Oklahoma July 10, and that's where that really all comes from, 1939, to the late Charles and Margie Albright, that feel,” Albright said in a 2007 interview. and raised in Bagdad, Arizona. He took up Over the course of Jennings’ career, the playing drums early in his life. His first kit was band became known as the Waymore Blues a 1926 Leedy, and he taught himself to play band, and expanded to an 11-piece that inby listening to Cozy Cole and Gene Krupa. His cluded horns. “He told me…’This is the band first paid gig, he has said, was a high school I always wanted right here with the horns.’ He prom in 1956. After he met Jennings in the really liked horns and Jim Horn wrote all the club scene in Phoenix, he founded the artcharts… God it was fun. That's something ist’s first band — The Waylors, later known that I as a drummer, I think any drummer as the Waymores — initially a four-piece of would want to play with a horn section somebass, drums, rhythm and lead guitar. By 1966 times 'cause it just adds so much punch to Jennings had signed to RCA Records, and Althe music,” Albright said. bright moved to Nashville with the band. By 1978 Albright was coproducing with An “Outlaw” from the start, Jennings Jennings on I’ve Always Been Crazy, 1979’s 26 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
What Goes Around Comes Around, and Music Man in 1980. He coproduced the 1980 Jennings hit “The Theme From the Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol’ Boys),” and was the music supervisor for the first year of the show’s run. He also had production credits on the 1990 album The Eagle. Albright cowrote the 1983 Jennings/Williams hit “The Conversation,” and played on a multitude of records for other artists. The list includes Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Jr., Willie Nelson, Tony Joe White, Jessi Coulter, Johnny Rodriguez, and Billy Joe Shaver — who he also produced. The Waymore Blues band played with Jennings until his death in 2002. In 2008 the band reformed as Waymore’s Outlaws, and went back on the road with Tommy Townsend as lead vocalist. The band also occasionally performed with Jennings' son, Waylon Albright “Shooter” Jennings. Bassist Jerry Bridges played with Albright for over four decades. “I met Richie in 1978 when I moved here from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. I was a member of the Fame Gang. Richie and Waylon asked me to play bass on a session. I knew at that moment that I wanted to belong with the Waylors. Richie treated me with utmost respect for the next 43 years. He was one of the most unique drummers I’ve worked with. He understood what made a record work. He was not only a great drummer but a great producer. We never had a disagreement and he was always there for everyone. I’ll always miss him. The music, the road, the smile and most of all, the friendship,” Bridges said. Albright sat in on congas with the band Goose Creek Symphony on many occasions. “Richie was my oldest friend; we were like brothers, since the Phoenix days,” said Charlie Gearheart, founder of Goose Creek Symphony. I was devastated when I found out he was gone,” Gearheart said.
