Doctor Odie Payne III, a retired Obstetrician and Gynecologist, CEO of OPJ records LLC, and Bandleader of the Doc. Payne and the Payne Relief Smooth Blues band was recently nominated for the prestigious Chicago Music Award in the category of most outstanding showband /group. The band is an ensemble of professional musicians and entertainers with over 40 years of combined musical and recording experience having played and or opened for such popular groups as the Chi lites, B.B. King, Gene Chandler, Billy branch, Otis Clay, Tyrone Davis, Gladys Knight, Buddy Guy, and many others.  Currently the group does private corporate functions and opens periodically at the world-famous Buddy Guy’s legends club. The band also performs at multiple Blues festivals around the country including the Chicago Blues Festival. The band’s first live album recorded in 2018 received high praises from the Blues Foundation in Memphis Tennessee. That accomplishment led to the present in studio second album project which is set to be released in late September 2022 followed by a world tour.                                                                

  Doc.  Payne has a very strong background in symphonic music previously as a first chair clarinetist with the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra and the Roosevelt University Symphony Orchestra.  He carries on a strong tradition as a Blues drummer after his father Odie Payne Jr. the world-renowned drummer and entertainer from Chess Records. His father, affectionately   known as “The Official Legendary Timekeeper” played, toured, and recorded with more Blues Legends than any drummer in history---and was well respected for his innervations of the rapid left hand snare drum shuffle, single bass drum foot roll and use of cowbells. Doc. Payne received his very training on drums from the very best -- his father. Hence, given Doc. Payne’s love for most musical genres, he carries on the great Blues tradition with his band whose mantra is … “If you don't dig the Blues, you got a serious hole in your soul” ... Our mission is:  To patch the hole!!...........  They can be found on all social media and YouTube.