Joseph Zinkan

(1919 ~ Jan. 15, 2003)

Known for his 4/4 country shuffle, (upright) slap-bass technique, Joe Zinkan first recorded in 1938 with the Delmore Brothers and went on to play with such classic groups as Pee Wee King’s Golden West Cowboys and Roy Acuff’s Smoky Mountain Boys.

Joe Zinkan became a regular band member on the Grand Ol’ Opry in the 1940s. Eventually, Zinkan became a studio musician in Nashville, Tennessee and played on the recordings of many country music stars, such as Kitty Wells, Skeets McDonald, Marty Robbins, Ray Price, Lefty Frizzell, Little Jimmy Dickens, Ronnie Milsap, Merle Haggard and Tammy Wynette, to mention just a few.

In fact, Joe Zinkan played upright bass on just about every recording session that took place from 1955 through the mid-1970s. Mr. Zinkan played bass on Mac Wiseman’s Capitol recordings, for Flatt and Scruggs, Jim & Jesse and Jimmy Martin.

In the late 1950s, the big record labels, Columbia, Capital, RCA and Decca, were trying to bring rockabilly to a broader audience, by giving it a pop flair. They polished the rough exterior of the rockabilly sound and gave us popabilly masterpieces by Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, and many others.

 Pictured left (L-R) Joe Zinkan, Pee Wee King 

Great session musicians like Hank Garland, and Nashville's A-Team, which included Joe Zinkan, were often responsible, behind the scenes, for these on the spot transformations. 

Joe Zinkan Studio Session Work

Bill Monroe Recording Session

December 17, 1969

At this early evening session at Bradley’s Barn, Mount Juliet, Tennessee, Bill Monroe and James Monroe [guitar] record Bonny and Sweet Mary and the Miles In Between. They were assisted by Rual Yarbrough (banjo), Joe Zinkan (upright bass guitar) and Kenny Baker and Tommy Williams (fiddle). Harry Silverstein was the producer. The vocal parts to Bonny were recorded on January 19, 1970.

Roy Acuff Recording Session

Album: Songs of the Smoky Mountains

Produced by Art Satherley

Columbia HL-9004. Jan. 28, 1947.

CBS Studio, Radio Station KNX, Hollywood, California

Session Personnel: Roy Acuff (vocal, fiddle), Lonnie Wilson (guitar), Pete Oswald Kirby (dobro, steel, banjo), Jess Easterday (mandolin), Joe Zinkan, Velma Williams (upright bass guitar),  Benny Martin (fiddle), Jimmy Riddle (harmonica, accordion), Frank Jones, Clell Summey, Rachel Veach (vocals).

The session produced the singles, Wabash Cannonball and Freight Train Blues.

Flatt & Scruggs Recording Session

Album: Songs of Glory

Ray Price Recording Session 

February 6, 1964  

Columbia Studios, 804 16th Ave. South, Nashville, Tennessee  

Produced by Don Law & Frank Jones  

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, lead guitar) Harold Bradley (electric bass), Charlie Harris, Grady Martin (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Joseph Zinkan (upright bass guitar) Johnny Bush (drums), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Jerry Smith (piano)  

• A Way to Free Myself (Writer: Joe Hayes)
• How Long Is Forever (Writer: Willie Nelson)
• This Cold War With You (Writer: Floyd Tillman)

March 9, 1965

• The Other Woman

Columbia CS-9182 (Sep. 1965)

Columbia Studios, 804 16th Ave. South, Nashville, Tennessee

Produced by Don Law & Frank Jones

This session took place at Columbia Studio, Nashville, Tennessee USA.

Session Personnel: Grady Martin (guitar, rhythm guitar), Harold Bradley, Joe Zinkan (upright bass guitar), Buddy Emmons (steel), Buddy Harman (drums), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Floyd Cramer (piano).

The session generated the singles, The Other Woman ( No. 2, 1965) and Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me (No. 11, 1965 )

August 11, 1966

Columbia Studios, 804 16th Ave. South, Nashville, Tennessee

Produced by Don Law & Frank Jones

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal) Harold Bradley, Ray Edenton  (rhythm guitar), Grady Martin (lead guitar), Wayne Moss (guitar), Buddy Emmons (steel guitar), Joseph Zinkan (upright bass guitar) Len Miller (drums), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Bill Pursell (piano)

• Each Time (Writer: Ray Price)
• Touch My Heart (Writers: Donny Young, Aubrey Mayhew) 

Mr. Zinkan was a tremendous influence on other great bass players such as Bob Moore, Lightning Chance, Billy Linneman, Dennis Crouch and Mike Bub. 

Joseph Zinkan: A Smoky Mountain Boy

Lonnie Wilson joined Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys in 1939. Soon after joining the band, Wilson became known as "Pap" and perfected this character. The character was adopted from his real-life uncle, who he claimed was truly a character.

Wilson's character of Pap wore chin whiskers and exaggerated hillbilly dress and developed into a hilarious rube comedian. From 1939 until 1961 there were periods when Wilson wasn't with the band. As Pap, Wilson played guitar and occasionally bass.

When Lonnie Wilson left the Smoky Mountain Boys in 1943 to join the Navy, Joe Zinkan took his place late in the year. Joe Zinkan was a Smoky Mountain Boy continuously until 1958.

When Lonnie Wilson wasn't with the band, Zinkan played the Pap character and was known as Joe "Pap" Zinkan, playing the guitar. When Wilson returned from the Navy and was with the band, Joe Zinkan usually kept his outlandish costume but took off the chin whiskers and switched to bass.

At these times Zinkan played another rube character known as Smilin' Joseph because he never smiled. During the periods when Lonnie Wilson wasn't with the band, Joe Zinkan would go back to guitar and play the Pap character.

Researched, compiled and written by Richard Bell, Roots of Country Music, Dec. 28, 2011