Little Feat’s own Bill Payne is the center of a major announcement today, as he revealed that he will be joining The Doobie Brothers on tour. Payne has collaborated with the Doobies in the past, and is looking forward to working with them more in the future.
In a statement, Payne said, “Having played on many of their albums, and spent time on the road with them over the years, it is an absolute honor to be in the band. They have some truly great songs, the musicianship is the best, and they are good people. I’m very happy about this union.”
Meanwhile, the band couldn’t be happier, with Tom Johnston saying “I have been a fan of Billy’s playing since his days with Little Feat. We’ve had the good fortune of having him play on almost all the albums we’ve done in this version of the band, and that’s quite a few. He’s a phenomenal, one-of-a- kind keyboard player, and having him join the band is a huge plus both for the live show and for writing future studio projects.”
John McAfee commented as well, giving Payne credit for the piano lick in the Doobie’s infamous song, “China Grove.” McAfee said, “I’ve always been a fan of Billy’s. As an outsider, I admired his work with Little Feat and also his incredible contributions to The Doobie Brothers’ music – I mean, China Grove would probably have a different title if it weren’t for Billy’s piano lick in the bridge. I’ve also been lucky enough to work with Billy on a number of recording projects – besides some of the Doobie’s recordings, with people like Emmylou Harris, Nicolette Larson, Amy Holland, Eikichi Yazawa and others. There just isn’t a finer player on the planet. A good guy, too! We’re very fortunate to have him aboard.”
The Doobies recently announced a tour with Journey in 2016, and will also appear at the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam. No word yet as to how this role will affect his involvement with Leftover Salmon, but we’re excited to hear how a full time Payne-Doobie collaboration will sound!