RIP Wayne Moss: Influential Nashville Guitarist Who Played With Waylon Jennings, Patsy Cline, and Bob Dylan

Born in West Virginia during the late 1930s, Wayne Moss started his career in country music while just a teenager. Although seeing his time in local bands as just having fun, it eventually turned into a passion. That passion led him to move to Nashville in 1959. And from that moment, he collaborated with stars like Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Dolly Parton, and even Bob Dylan. Sharing his passion and talent with country music, the famed musician sadly passed away at 88. 

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While easily remembering the lyrics to Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” or Parton’s “Jolene”, most might not know that behind those songs was Moss. Becoming a popular studio musician, his talents also led him to work with the Everly Brothers, Kris Kristofferson, and Nancy Sinatra. 

Never forgetting his commitment to his craft and his contributions to music, Kyle Young, the CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame, shared a touching tribute to the musician. “Wayne Moss was a guitarist of dexterous skill and sophisticated taste. Listen carefully to Bob Dylan’s ‘I Want You’ or Roy Orbison’s ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ or Waylon Jennings’s ‘Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line.’ You’ll hear innovative electric lead parts that drew attention to Nashville’s world-class musicianship. As a studio owner, his doors were equally wide open to pop, rock, and country music. Wayne was a musical torchbearer and a creative pathfinder who left his own resounding stamp on music history.” 

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Wayne Moss Opened Recording Studio Not Even In The “Phone Book”

As Young mentioned, Moss went beyond being a musician as he founded one of the oldest independent recording studios in Nashville. Once speaking about the history of Cinderella Sound, he joked, “We’re not even in the phone book, you know? So unless you know somebody that knows somebody, you can’t even get in here.”

Not embracing the era of social media or marketing, Moss loved the secrecy of Cinderella Sound. “You can’t Google us or anything else, therefore there’s not a Gray Line bus tour coming through here every day saying ‘Is that Johnny Cash in here? I wanna get his autograph.’ That drives artists crazy.”

Adding his legacy to the long list of icons who forever changed country music, Roy Orbison Jr. celebrated his career, calling Moss both a “dear friend” and “great guitarist.” 

Though often working behind the scenes, his influence was anything but hidden to those who mattered. And as tributes continue to pour in, Moss leaves behind a catalog of work that continues to entertain and inspire.

(Photo by Beth Gwinn/Getty Images)