Bobby Emmons

Bobby Gene Emmons(February 19, 1943 – February 23, 2015) was an Americankeyboardplayer and songwriter. He was an activesession musicianinMemphis, Tennessee,and was the keyboardist ofThe Memphis Boys,playing keyboards on tracks byElvis Presley,Willie Nelsonand many others from the 1950s onward. His compositions included "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)",written withChips Momanand recorded byWaylon Jennings;and "Love Me Like You Used To",co-written withPaul Davisand recorded by bothJohnny CashandTanya Tucker.

Emmons was born inCorinth, Mississippi,and began performing when at high school. In 1960 he joinedBill Black's band and toured widely with Black, both nationally in the US and internationally. He began playing keyboards in the house band atHi Recordsaround 1963, before moving toChips Moman'sAmerican Sound Studioas a session musician. Among the many records on which he played keyboards in the 1960s and 1970s were Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds"and"In the Ghetto",Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man",Merrilee Rush's "Angel of the Morning",andNeil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline".He also played on many of Willie Nelson's albums, toured internationally withThe Highwaymen.

He died inNashvillein 2015, aged 72.