Donald Ray Payne January 7, 1933, Wellington, Texas – February 25, 2017, Plantation, Florida) was an American jazz double-bassist and electric bassist.Payne was raised in California and first played trumpet before switching to double bass in high school. His first major gigs occurred in the mid-1950s; he worked in the second half of the decade with Georgie Auld, Ornette Coleman, Maynard Ferguson, Calvin Jackson, Joe Maini, and Art Pepper. In 1958 he relocated to New York City, where he played with Tony Bennett, Chris Connor, and Mundell Lowe, then joined Herbie Mann and Astrud Gilberto for international tours. He also worked with Stan Getz around this time. He led his own ensemble with a rotating cast of sidemen, including Mike Abene, Joe Beck, and Gene Bertoncini.

Advertisement Advertisement