Joe Osborn, born in Louisiana on 28 August 1937, became one of America’s most prolific session bassists, contributing to hundreds of hit recordings in Los Angeles and Nashville. His career matters because his playing helped shape major pop and country records while he remained largely behind the scenes as part of the Wrecking Crew and Nashville’s session-musician network.

Initially a guitarist, Osborn switched to bass after joining Bob Luman’s band and later helped Ricky Nelson identify “Travelin’ Man”, which became a major hit. In Los Angeles he played on 200 Top 40 singles, including 18 number ones, and worked extensively with artists such as Johnny Rivers and the Mamas & the Papas. Overwhelmed by the workload, he moved to Nashville, where he played on 53 number-one country singles and continued recording several sessions each week.