Oldham is a native of
Center Star, Alabama, United States. He was blinded in his right eye as a child; when reaching for a frying pan, he was hit in the eye by a spoon he knocked from a shelf. Schoolmates gave him the name "Spooner" as a result. Oldham started his career in music by playing piano in a Dixieland jazz band while at
Lauderdale County High School. He then attended classes at the
University of North Alabama but turned instead to playing at FAME Studios. He moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1967 and teamed with Penn at
Chips Moman's American Studios. Oldham later moved to Los Angeles and has continued to be a sought-after backing musician, recording and performing with such artists as
Bob Dylan,
Aretha Franklin,
Delaney Bramlett,
Willy DeVille,
Joe Cocker, the
Hacienda Brothers,
Linda Ronstadt,
Jackson Browne, the
Everly Brothers,
Bob Seger,
Dickey Betts,
Cat Power,
J.J. Cale,
Frank Black, and
The Mountain Goats. In 1993, he joined a host of Memphis soul music veterans to record
Arthur Alexander's comeback and un-intended final studio recording, the album
Lonely Just Like Me. In 2007, Oldham toured with the
Drive-By Truckers on their The Dirt Underneath tour. In 2008, Oldham played on
Last Days at the Lodge, the third album released by folk/soul singer
Amos Lee. In May 2011, Oldham backed
Pegi Young on a six-show tour of California. Oldham worked with Scottish singer,
Sharleen Spiteri on an album. On June 28, 2025, Oldham was a backing musician for Neil Young's headline set at the
Glastonbury Festival, which was broadcast live by the
BBC, after an initial embargo placed by Young.
Alexis Petridis of
The Guardian said of the band, "This is essentially his earlier outfit
Promise of the Real augmented by 82-year-old keyboard player Spooner Oldham, a man whose career stretches back to Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett's legendary late 60s albums." ==Awards==