Born on This Day in 1943, the Legendary Keyboard Player Who Wrote Classic Songs for Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Tanya Tucker

On this day (February 19) in 1943, Bobby Emmons was born in Corinth, Mississippi. By the late 1950s, his skills on the keys made him an in-demand player. Later, he became a member of the Memphis Boys, a group of legendary session musicians. Emmons was also a songwriter who penned classics like “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love),” recorded by Waylon Jennings, and “Love Me Like You Used To,” recorded by Johnny Cash and Tanya Tucker.

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Emmons first rose to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of Bill Black’s Combo. His time in Black’s band connected him to Chips Moman, a producer at the Memphis-based American Sound Studio. In the 1960s, Emmons joined the Memphis Boys, the legendary group of studio musicians who played on countless classic recordings produced at the studio.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1977, Waylon Jennings Started a Six-Week Run at No. 1 with a Song He Never Liked]

According to Music Row, the group played on recordings for artists like Wilson Pickett, John Prine, Bobby Womack, The Box Tops, Delbert McClinton, and Roy Orbison. They can be heard on classic songs like Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Merrilee Rush’s “Angel of the Morning,” Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man,” and Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds,” among many others. Emmons’ time with the Memphis Boys earned him a spot in the Musicians Hall of Fame.

Bobby Emmons Moves to Nashville

Like many other musicians and songwriters of the day, Bobby Emmons eventually moved from Memphis to Nashville. There, he continued his career as an in-demand studio player. However, his Music City clientele looked a little different. He can be heard on recordings from Johnny Cash, Larry Catlin, Johnny Paycheck, Merle Haggard, The Highwaymen, Garth Brooks, and many more. He also toured with the Highwaymen.

Emmons didn’t limit himself to studio work while in Nashville. He also honed his songwriting skills, penning songs that became country classics. See a list of highlights from his song catalog below.

• “Luckenback, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” (Emmons, Chips Moman)–Waylon Jennings
• “Easy Street”(Emmons, Moman)–Tammy Wynette
• “Love Me Like You Used To” (Emmons, Paul Davis)–Johnny Cash, Tanya Tucker
• “Old Fords and a Natural Stone” (Emmons, Moman)–Willie Nelson
• “So Much Like My Dad” (Emmons, Moman)–Willie Nelson, George Strait

Featured Image by Leon Morris/Redferns