Woody Lingle

I'm a Bass Player-Writer- Arranger-Producer in Nashville, Tennessee. Through the years I've worked or recorded with Emmy Lou Harris, Steve Wariner, Ricky Van Shelton, Bill Anderson, Margaret Becker, Out Of The Grey, Susan Ashton, and countless others. I've played or backed everyone from Chet Atkins to Phil Keaggy, to Liberace to Fred Waring. Admittedly, I'm a "Jazzer" at heart, but have a real soft spot for R & B and Funk, with a pop sensibility.

Woody started out playing with the standard fare of piano lessons at age seven, which he rebelled against. Probably because of the strictness of only reading other people's notes. Not motivated enough by piano, it took a very special Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 to fully grab his attention. That show, of course, had the historic performances of The Beatles. His life would never be the same. It brought about a seduction that would sustain him through many "dues paying" situations. He's always said to people, who ask advice about becoming a musician, "If you want to play music, run for your life. But if you have to play music, do it with every fiber of your being!" Woody's musical life is a tribute to that motto.

After seeing The Beatles, Woody was hooked, and began taking guitar lessons. Once again, that ugly "reading music" beast reared its head, and he rebelled. It would be a number of years before he embraced the advantages brought by being able to sight-read well. But this time his parents only agreed with his "need not to read" after a conversation with his teacher. Woody's folks had gotten him two Beatles books with chords, and he had stayed up until he learned every tune in those books. His teacher felt that if THAT motivated him enough to accomplish things, then so be it. So began a constant flirtation with ear training and writing songs...hence, creativity, a perfect breeding ground for a jazz musician. But that was to happen later...

He continued to grow as a musician, The Beatles always a source of inspiration, keeping him a pop enthusiast. He also continued to play piano on his own terms, picking out melodies, chord changes and writing songs. Eventually, he did give in and started more piano lessons, which he continued off and on through his college years. He did a number of performances singing with just his guitar for school and party functions. He had one particular experience when he was nine that would come to be known as his "most embarrassing moment." He was to play at a Hawaiian Luau Prom, which meant he needed to learn a Hawaiian tune. No problem, he thought. Unfortunately, he worked on his Beatles tune that he would end with, but not so much on the other. The night finally came to perform, and Woody started the tune but couldn't remember how it went. Assuming Woody needed them, the M.C. brought the lyrics out, and the crowd went crazy, thinking it was part of the act. He got through the tune by sheer perseverance, sang his Beatles song, and walked off stage, crushed. What he learned from the experience was that you always prepare for every aspect of your performance, even if it's something you don't particularly like. It's made him super critical of his own performance, with a high expectation for "giving your best." It also gave him the beginnings of a comedy career, if he had wanted it (ha-ha.)

Woody's father, Woodrow Alexander Lingle, Sr., made his career with the United States Air Force. (Woody's Dad: photo, left) Being an Air Force "brat," means you move every three years or so, and THAT means you learn to adapt to different situations: another important aspect of a good rhythm section player. Woody was born in Orangeburg, S.C., relocated to Washington, D.C., Itazuke, Japan, Victorville, CA., and at age nine through eleven (1966- '69) in Columbia, S.C., he got his first taste of playing in a band, and learned "Girls dig musicians!" He asked a friend of his, who had a band, if he could play. That friend was one of the Lawhead brothers, Allan and Mike, both players. Allan asked Woody what he played, Woody replied "guitar." Allan said they didn't need another guitar player, which prompted Woody to ask what they did need. Allan's reply changed his musical life. . . they needed a "bass player." Woody agreed to play bass. One small problem---he had no bass! He made do with a Silvertone electric guitar he had, tuning down the low E string a 4th, so he could play The Rolling Stones "Satisfaction." Actually, the E string was the only string he played for about six months, until he got his first bass, a Hofner Beatle Bass. The crazy method of playing all on one string had actually given him the benefit of being able to get around pretty well on the instrument, so playing a real four string bass should be a breeze, right? Wrong! Remember the days of very little information being available? Woody asked the guy at the music store how to tune the bass. He scratched his head, gave him an "off the wall" answer, and secured Woody a place forever in the "hall of fame of weird tunings." Woody kept the A string tuned to A, the low E was flat, so he tuned it down to D. The other two strings, normally D and G, he tuned to...you guessed it, well, maybe you haven't...B and E, so he could play "Satisfaction." Unfortunately, what this did to the fingerings and string crossings between the A and D strings was quite a stretch. But, ultimately this worked in Woody's favor, making him quite agile at moving anywhere on the neck. When he finally switched to the right tuning on his first Fender Jazz Bass, it was a breeze! That first band was "The Regals," and they became primarily a "soul" band. R & B, Soul, and Funk remain an integral part of Woody's musical makeup, with a little Latin thrown in for spice.

Woody's first real involvement with playing for the Lord was in high school in Dayton, Ohio (1969 -'72.) He played in various church groups, touring and performing all over the Ohio area, constantly being asked to "fake" songs he didn't know, honing that "ear" once again. He learned a lot about trusting God, and his faith as a Christian strengthened. He put together a number of bands to help premiere Christian Musicals that were quite revolutionary for their time: "Tell It Like It Is," "Life," "Natural High," "Love," and finally, in his senior year in Dayton, "The Carpenter," a huge production with full rhythm section and small orchestra, which Woody rehearsed for the performance, bringing in many of his pals from school and other bands, to play. At the last minute, before the performance started, the director, Greg Hochstetler, informed Woody that he would have to conduct both the Chorus and the Band/Orchestra because of a technical lighting problem. He pulled it off somehow, and felt proud of his years with The Crestview Singers.

Woody majored in Music Therapy for three and a half years, at Baptist College in Charleston, S.C. (1972-'75) before his decision to attend North Texas State University in Denton, Texas, where he majored in Composition. Right in the outskirts of Dallas (a classic music city,) it was especially good for the jazz scene. NTSU had, and continues to have, one of the finest Jazz Studies and Performance programs in the country. Woody's experience there was rich with playing and "wood-shedding" opportunities. What interest he had first honed at Baptist College, playing in the Stage Bands (with a scholarship on electric bass), playing with local area jazzers, casuals, etc., became even more intense at NTSU. After all, this school boasted one of the best lab band programs, anywhere! The NTSU1 O'Clock Lab Band is world-renowned. Woody's goal became "to play in THAT band."

In keeping with sequence, let's jump back just a little. Woody had played cello in the high school orchestra, as well as getting featured playing an electric bass solo on "Tico Tico." He eventually picked up the upright bass and worked like a madman to become proficient on it, because it was a requirement at that time, to double on electric and acoustic bass, to play in the 1 O'Clock Lab Band. He honed his skills, and after three years at NTSU (1977-'80), was asked to record "Lab '80" with the band, which spotlighted Woody's electric playing on a bass feature, "MC 10." He had finally mastered that "sight-reading" thing, too. The following fall he went to Switzerland with the band, and played the fall concert with the 1 O'Clock, featuring guests Don Menza and Chuck Findley. Gregg Bissonette played drums in that band, and Woody and Gregg had many great "regressive jazz" moments playing together. He also played with a number of phenomenal drummers in the area. Randy Drake, Kirk Covington, Mike Baker, Tim Benton, just to name a few. Many of them have gone on to do incredible things musically. Woody also did quite a bit of studio work in Dallas, playing in one of the premiere fusion bands at the time, "Scorpio Rose." Through only a few performances with that band, Woody managed to win the Dallas Jazz Reader's Poll for best Electric Bass in 1979. Some of his bass player pals then have since gone on to great fame in the bassist community: Gary Willis and Steve Bailey. He also played a 2-week stint with jazz alto saxophonist Richie Cole, with Bruce Forman on guitar, in 1981. There was some great playing that took place at NTSU and those Dallas years. For approximately eight years, Woody totally saturated himself with Jazz. You almost have to live and breathe it, to play Jazz.

Subsequently, all of Woody's influences began to come together at this time, to inspire his direction as a bassist, in sound and soloistic nuance and he began to find his own "voice." Some of his favorite players at that point were: Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Scott LaFaro, Ron Carter, Eddie Gomez, Paul Chambers, Jeff Berlin, Marcus Miller, and a bass player relatively unknown to many, who played in a band called "Cold Blood"---Rod Ellicott. Woody, to this day, attributes more of his smoothness and fluidity to Rod's influence. His chief inspiration, in regard to emulation, was Jaco and Jeff Berlin.

In between Baptist College and NTSU there was a period of eight months where Woody went home to Ohio and played piano constantly, writing, and trying to pick out Bill Evans' inner voicing. He then got a call, requesting the position of staff bass player for the Fred Waring Music Workshop in East Stroudsburg, PA. Woody accepted and Fred asked him to tour with "The Pennsylvanians" (a Choral Group), which brought about one of the most important events in his life---he met Debbie Hughes, soon to be his wife. She was singing with Fred Waring and her presence made his stay with Fred much more bearable. It wasn't such a great gig for a bass player with a creative itch. However, the vocal music he heard with Fred inspired him. Great tunes were being sung every night---Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, etc. Many were old jazz standards, and the arrangements sparked an interest in vocal music, especially that of Gene Perling and the Singers Unlimited. Woody and Debbie married in 1978.

The Lingles had various groups together in Dallas, but in 1983 Woody got a call to relocate to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to play with a group called Maya: an established and respected Top 40 group with a great reputation for playing just about anything. It became a great outlet for trying arranging ideas out in a pop context. He stayed for six years playing on Speedy West Jr.'s solo projects in the late 80's and early 90's, as well as Maya's LP "Murder by Love."

In 1989, Woody decided to play with The Chris Hicks Band. He and Chris had been collaborating in the studio already and felt a great affinity for playing together. While with Chris he won several Oklahoma Gazette Music Awards from '92-'94 (see next page for awards listings.) Woody did several albums with Chris, and continues to work with Chris in Nashville. Some of the tunes you'll hear samples of on this site are tunes written for that band, as well as Speedy's projects.

Next came his decision to move to Nashville. Originally, Woody made the move to work in the Contemporary Christian field, and he worked with some of the best: Margaret Becker, Out of the Grey, Phil Keaggy, Susan Ashton, and Charlie Peacock. He played on Margaret Becker's "Grace" LP.

Soon there was a call for an audition with Steve Wariner. (1995) Not being a big Country fan, Woody wasn't sure why he should have an interest in this gig.

He learned quickly that Steve had some great things to say, musically, and Steve began to use Woody on his recordings, as well. Woody even did Steve's video for The Beatles tribute, "Get Back," playing the part of his earliest inspiration as a bass player, Paul McCartney, Hofner in hand! Steve continues to utilize Woody in the studio, and they've become great friends. Steve's a big Chet Atkins fan (having played bass for Chet in the past), and put together a concert with Chet and Larry Carlton at the Ryman. (1996) Hence, Woody had an opportunity to play for Steve, Chet, and Larry all in a short period of time. Woody seems to always be blessed with opportunities to work with sensational artists who are also sensational people.

A note to highlight is Woody's association with Emmy Lou Harris. In the early '90's Emmy Lou did a number of Symphony dates. Woody was quite fortunate in having the opportunity to work with her in that capacity, thanks to Don Johnson, who was in Emmy Lou's "Hot Band" for approximately ten years. He and Woody had done lots of session work in Oklahoma City, and Woody continues to write and play for Don Johnson today.

After touring/recording with Steve Wariner, in 1997 Woody began working for Ricky Van Shelton, who is notorious for having top-notch bands, thanks in no small part to Ricky's bandleader, Tommy Hannum. The standard: a great bunch of eclectic players with multi-musical backgrounds. (See photo of Woody's Mom, Sybil, with RVS & Woody.) Ricky enjoys featuring his band, and this band is no exception. Woody is usually featured in the show, either playing or singing a tune of his choice. For instance, how about a little "Beatle-grass" version of "We Can Work It Out?"

Woody keeps busy out on the road with RVS, playing in the studio with Steve Wariner (and many others), and keeps his hand in the Jazz pot by playing as much live jazz as he can.

Most of 1999,when he was in town, was spent playing almost nightly with Mike Gallaher, an excellent guitarist, currently with Joe Cocker.