He was a bass player born in Mound, Louisiana, and grew up in Shreveport. He began playing the guitar when he was 12 years old by playing what he heard on the radio and this would lead him to performing and recording locally with Dale Hawkins locally by the time he was 20.
He moved to Los Angeles with Dale and his brother, Jerry, and for some reason found himself left there alone, but after meeting the country singer Bob Luhman he was given a contract for a year in Las Vegas in 1959. It was then that he started to play the electric bass and after his contract was over he went back to Louisiana. Not there for long, Rick Nelson asked him to go back to Los Angeles and this led to him working with him for four years as well as making a guest appearance on the Ozzie and Harriet Show.
His name became known and after having played on several Johnny Rivers albums, he found himself an extremely sought after sideman on demo recordings put together by many of the producers in the area.
He became part of The Wrecking Crew with Hal Blaine and Larry Knechtel and this rhythm section ended up performing on countless hit songs in recording sessions with the popular artists of the day. He also went to New York to record with further successful acts and at the same time was featured on many commercials and movie soundtracks.
Appearing on 20 No. 1 hit singles more than 200 other chart hits in the Top 40, as well as around 50 No. 1 country chart hits, he could be heard on “(They Long to be) Close To You”, “Please Mr. Postman” and “Top of the World” by The Carpenters, “Cracklin’ Rosie” by Neil Diamond, “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by 5th Dimension, “Monday, Monday” by The Mamas & Papas, “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire, “Travelin’ Man” by Rick Nelson, “I Think I Love You” by The Partridge Family, “I Am Woman” and “Delta Dawn” by Helen Reddy, “Dizzy” by Tommy Roe, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel. Other artists he has worked with include America, The Association, Chet Atkins, The Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Cass Elliott, The Everly Brothers, James Galway, Art Garfunkel, Merle Haggard, Richard Harris, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joel, Journey, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Scott Mackenzie, Reba McEntire, The Monkees, Michael Murphy, Mickey Newbury, Olivia Newton John, The Oak Ridge Boys, Marie Osmond, The Partridge Family, Eddie Rabbitt, Kenny Rogers, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joe Royal, Seals & Crofts, Bobby Sherman, Ricky Skaggs, Spanky & Our Gang, Barbra Streisand, Sylvia, Mel Tillis, The Turtles, Hank Williams Jr. and Neil Young. He also recorded with The Carpenters at his home studio on their first session.
In 1974 he moved to Nashville to slow down his working pace, which had been so intensive for the previous 20 years or so, and although he worked with several country music artists it wasn’t anywhere near the sheer scale he had been used to. He moved back to Louisiana in 1990 in semi-retirement but continued to record his own songs and occasionally worked in the studios in Los Angeles and Nashville as well as perform with his family’s The Third Generation band. There were also a range of Joe Osborn guitars available from Lakeland.
In early 2018 he was given a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and passed away in the December at home when he was 81 years old.
The Association recordings
Windy (Ruthann Friedman)
Never My Love (Don & Dick Addrisi)
Glen Campbell Recordings
Honestly Loved (Leo Graham/Glen Castleberry)
Capitol Records 3808 (US 45)
Houston (I’m Comin’ To See You) (David Paich)
Capitol 3808
Tommy Roe recordings
Dizzy (Tommy Roe/Freddy Weller)
ABC Records – 45-11164 (US)
Sources:
- http://www.answers.com/topic/joe-osborne?cat=entertainment
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Osborn
- http://www.basscentral.com/lakeland_usa/lakland_jo_osborn.shtml
- http://www.buffettnews.com/bandmember36.html
- http://www.billyjoelfan.com/Albums/TheHarborSessions/Main.shtml
- http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Joe%20Osborne:1927167989