Episode 9: JOE CHEMAY - Session Legend (Lionel Richie, Elton John, Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks, etc).
Joe Chemay's tone and intent always cuts through even when he plays a tender ballad. Out of all the great session bassists that have been active in Nashville over the years, Joe is my personal favorite. The modern Country records that rewrote what the genre could sound like in the mid-90's were filled with with Joe's signature driving, melodic pick style playing. Joe is a man of few words, but an astoundingly gracious and kind guy who shares great memories of being in the studio with super producer Mutt Lange and how he ended up of some of Lionel Richie's most influential songs when Lionel first struck out on his own after his stint in The Commodores. Joe's list of credits is astoundingly long and diverse. Spending some time listening to his work in many genres is highly encouraged. As if all this isn't enough, Joe has also been an in-demand session background vocalist which we also get a little sample of in this episode of The Lowdown Society.