{"id":29880,"date":"2021-08-05T14:17:20","date_gmt":"2021-08-05T21:17:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/?p=29880"},"modified":"2023-12-04T14:47:38","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T22:47:38","slug":"top-12-drummers-you-dont-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/top-12-drummers-you-dont-know\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 12 Drummers You&#8217;ve Heard&#8230;But Never Heard Of"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Df5QsAuqv4c\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who actually played Animal&#8217;s drum solo when he faced off against Buddy Rich?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who drummed on the theme songs to your favorite childhood TV shows?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These 12 drummers have played on some of the biggest hits of the past 60 years, but most people don&#8217;t know their name. We&#8217;re here to change that! <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#12-hal-blaine\">Hal Blaine<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#11-al-jackson-jr\">Al Jackson Jr.<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#10-benny-benjamin-richard-allen-uriel-jones\">Benny Benjamin, Richard Allen &amp; Uriel Jones<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#9-buddy-harman\">Buddy Harman<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#8-roger-hawkins\">Roger Hawkins<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#7-jerry-granelli\">Jerry Granelli<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#6-buddy-saltzman\">Buddy Saltzman<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#5-frankie-capp\">Frankie Capp<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#4-bobby-rawsthorne\">Bobby Rawsthorne<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#3-tony-meehan\">Tony Meehan<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#2-steve-little\">Steve Little<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#1-ronnie-verrell\">Ronnie Verrell<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s kick it off with number 12:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"12-hal-blaine\"><b><strong>12. Hal Blaine<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"text-center\">\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.ca\/detail\/73906804\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:65.48821% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/73906804?et=F6uRgWyTRfFLhZbdutdv5Q&amp;tld=ca&amp;sig=yr7twGZc4DXlqC29ndOSBi3UwEYOuM7SwFs1snuVrx0=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"389\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hal Blaine was one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/most-important-drummers-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">most important drummers<\/a> in rock and roll history, and definitely one of the most recorded. He belonged to a Los Angeles-based group of session musicians called \u201cThe Wrecking Crew\u201d \u2013 a name which he coined.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blaine recorded on over 35,000 sessions and 6,000 singles \u2013&nbsp;over 150 which made it to the top 10 in the US. Blaine was actually known to stamp all of his charts with \u201cHal Blaine Strikes Again\u201d which seems fitting considering he played on so many sessions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and Simon &amp; Garfunkel to John Denver, Diana Ross, and The 5th Dimension, he did it all. Not only did he perform with artists, but he was also a regular session musician in the TV and film industry, recording soundtracks for classic shows like The Brady Bunch and Batman.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blaine is one of the few drummers on our list who is widely recognized in the music industry as one of the greats. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"11-al-jackson-jr\"><b><strong>11. Al Jackson Jr.<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"597\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181506\/1333061765ALJACKSONJr.B1-1024x597.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29948\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181506\/1333061765ALJACKSONJr.B1-1024x597.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181506\/1333061765ALJACKSONJr.B1-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181506\/1333061765ALJACKSONJr.B1-768x448.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181506\/1333061765ALJACKSONJr.B1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Known as \u201cThe Human Timekeeper&#8221;, Al Jackson Jr. was one of the founding members of Booker T. &amp; The M.G.s \u2013 a group of session musicians who made up the house band for Stax Records in Memphis Tennessee starting in the early 60s. They also released their own instrumental music during the 60s and 70s.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between his sessions at Stax and Hi Records, Jackson backed some of the biggest names in music like Rufus Thomas, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam &amp; Dave, Eddie Floyd, and so many others. His drumming became synonymous with the sound of Memphis soul in the 60s and 70s, but that wasn\u2019t all. Jackson was also a brilliant producer and writer who worked with artists like Al Green and Albert King, among many others.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since his tragic death in 1975, Al Jackson Jr. has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"10-benny-benjamin-richard-allen-uriel-jones\"><b><strong>10. Benny Benjamin, Richard Allen &amp; Uriel Jones<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"text-center\">\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.ca\/detail\/85365366\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:65.15151% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/85365366?et=hsVPbY-qQRJHzBH9DM4ypw&amp;tld=ca&amp;sig=uqpvstxH-ZN2Xy0yqS7QWYZ1I_3LDDLczHghIfjXSzc=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"387\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes the best things come in threes! These drummers worked with The Funk Brothers \u2013 the in-house band at Motown Records. These drummers were Benny Benjamin, Richard \u201cPistol\u201d Allen, and Uriel Jones. Each drummer had their own unique flavor, but together they helped define <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/the-ultimate-guide-to-soul-and-funk-drumming\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">the sound of Motown<\/a> along with The Funk Brothers and all of the artists they recorded with.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From 1961 to 1972, these three drummers recorded on over 100 US R&amp;B #1 singles and over 50 US Pop #1 hits. For example:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Benny Benjamin &#8211; \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rGJcbHni4rc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please Mr. Postman\u201d &#8211; Marvelettes&nbsp;<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Richard \u201cPistol\u201d Allen &#8211; \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZAWSiWtUK2s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Baby Love\u201d &#8211; The Supremes<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uriel Jones &#8211; \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ppLJAp2Tnwo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Once In My Life\u201d &#8211; Stevie Wonder<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Uriel Jones + Benny Benjamin &#8211; \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=IC5PL0XImjw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Ain\u2019t No Mountain High Enough\u201d &#8211; Marvin Gaye\/Tammi Terrell<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes they would even record two drummers on the same track, panned left and right in the stereo mix &#8211; like on the recording of \u201cAin\u2019t No Mountain High Enough\u201d with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because Benjamin, Allen, and Jones were hired as part of the in-house band, the only credit they received back then was for being part of The Funk Brothers. Individual session players were never credited.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Along with The Funk Brothers, these three drummers received Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2004 and were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"9-buddy-harman\"><b><strong>9. Buddy Harman<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"448\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181612\/buddyharman28745.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29950\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181612\/buddyharman28745.jpg 448w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181612\/buddyharman28745-224x300.jpg 224w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Harman basically invented <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/a-drummers-guide-to-country\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">country drumming<\/a>. He was the first official house drummer for the Grand Ole Opry in the late 50s, even though he had to set up his drums behind a curtain because at this point, drums still weren\u2019t widely accepted in the country music scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The drummer on hits like \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ikweq0THs88\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oh Pretty Woman<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d, \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lWWZSu4e5cI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Little Sister<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d, \u201cRing of Fire\u201d, \u201cThe Battle Of New Orleans\u201d and \u201cBye Bye Love\u201d, Harman was a member of the Nashville A-Team &#8211; a group of session musicians during the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Over the course of his career, he played on over 18,000 recordings.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and Patsy Cline to Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and The Everly Brothers, Buddy Harman is the drummer that music fans have been listening to for nearly 70 years, but his name still goes under the radar.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-roger-hawkins\"><b><strong>8. Roger Hawkins<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"403\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181649\/June_2017_Roger_Hawkins_Online_By_Deborah_Feingold.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29951\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181649\/June_2017_Roger_Hawkins_Online_By_Deborah_Feingold.png 600w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181649\/June_2017_Roger_Hawkins_Online_By_Deborah_Feingold-300x202.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Muscle Shoals rhythm section (also known as &#8220;The Swampers\u201d) were one of the top studio house bands in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. They played on hundreds of recordings and dozens of gold and platinum hits. Without their drummer &#8211; Roger Hawkins &#8211; songs like \u201cRespect\u201d, \u201cMustang Sally&#8221;, \u201cWhen A Man Loves A Woman\u201d, and I\u2019ll Take You There\u201d wouldn\u2019t be what they are. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are some of the biggest hit songs of our time and Hawkins is laying down the grooves on all of them.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He had an extensive and impressive resume. From working with Eric Clapton, Albert King, and Traffic to Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Paul Simon, he left a body of work that drummers will continue to study for years to come.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-jerry-granelli\"><b><strong>7. Jerry Granelli<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181722\/jerry-granelli-promo-shot.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29952\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181722\/jerry-granelli-promo-shot.webp 780w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181722\/jerry-granelli-promo-shot-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181722\/jerry-granelli-promo-shot-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Canadian jazz drummer played on one of the most famous Christmas albums ever released:&nbsp;<em>A Charlie Brown Christmas.&nbsp;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Featuring classics like \u201cChristmas Time Is Here\u201d and \u201cLinus And Lucy,\u201d this soundtrack showcases Granelli&#8217;s brilliant trio playing with the Vince Guaraldi Trio, even though it wasn\u2019t until years later when the full trio was credited.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The record went on to be inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame and added to the National Recording Registry, and has been certified quadruple platinum for album sales.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-buddy-saltzman\"><b><strong>6. Buddy Saltzman<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buddy Saltzman was an American session drummer in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. He&#8217;s rarely mentioned, despite some of the chart topping songs he played drums on. Hits like \u201cI\u2019m A Believer\u201d by The Monkees, \u201cThe Loco-Motion\u201d by Little Eva, \u201cMy Way\u201d by Frank Sinatra, and \u201cDawn (Go Away)\u201d by The Four Seasons all feature Saltzman&#8217;s drumming. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a resume like that, it makes complete sense why he had to hire three phone services and a manager to keep track of his session bookings.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saltzman was known for his strong timekeeping abilities and a unique style which featured around the kit tom fills, lots of ghost notes and accents, and little to no cymbal hits!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-frankie-capp\"><b><strong>5. Frankie Capp<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"679\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181758\/Frank-Capp.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29953\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181758\/Frank-Capp.jpeg 679w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181758\/Frank-Capp-255x300.jpeg 255w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 679px) 100vw, 679px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who else was working in LA with Hal Blaine and his circle of session players? That was Frankie Capp, who played most of the percussion parts with the Wrecking Crew. Capp was primarily a drum set player, however &#8211; and one of the most versatile in the industry.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From working with Stan Kenton and Benny Goodman to Phil Spector and Harry James, Frankie Capp did it all. Classical, Big Band jazz, rock, soundtracks, you name it. He worked extensively in the film and television world performing on shows like Green Acres, The Steve Allen Show, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and many others. Most wouldn\u2019t know it, but the drumming of Frankie Capp was being heard in homes all around the world for decades &#8211; especially in the 60s and 70s.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Capp was asked why he\u2019s not more well-known, this was his response: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>&#8220;The thing is, I got buried in the studios. After I came to California in 1953, I did nothing but play drums for a living until around 1980. By that time all the studio gigs were being given to drummers who played rock or had electronic drums. I wanted to stay in the music business &#8211; I didn\u2019t want to start selling insurance &#8211; so I started contracting for a lot of the leaders I worked for.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-bobby-rawsthorne\"><b><strong>4. Bobby Rawsthorne<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181825\/Bob1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29954\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181825\/Bob1.jpg 640w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181825\/Bob1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you remember the live band from the show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood? Even if you do, you\u2019ve probably never heard the name of the drummer. His name is Bobby Rawsthorne: a drummer who performed on TV for millions of viewers of all ages.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He joined musical director Johnny Costa on the show back in 1968 and was a part of the show until 2001 when it stopped airing. He was even a featured guest on multiple episodes throughout his career. While little information can be found on Bobby Rawsthorne, he is still releasing music with the trio from the show to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-tony-meehan\"><b><strong>3. Tony Meehan<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"text-center\">\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.ca\/detail\/483569285\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:67.171715% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/483569285?et=gSzOiAw9S6Z1JHm_uBoCrQ&amp;tld=ca&amp;sig=PHmRDAPxZaQP1NVTE8rlQTWimIe3yAYjD5pFjjonNxo=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"399\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as \u201cThe Baron\u201d, he was the drummer in the British rock band The Shadows from 1959 to 1961. You\u2019ve probably never heard of Tony Meehan, but you\u2019ve definitely heard the 1960 recording of the song<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EzgbcyfJgfQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"> \u201cApache\u201d<\/a> that Tony played drums on.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve ever seen a western movie, then you\u2019ve heard this track, and probably more than a few times. The Shadows went on to become one of the most successful bands in the UK and they were a major influence on other bands like Queen, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and The Police.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though Meehan\u2019s drumming career with the Shadows was short lived, he went on to do more session and production work beginning in the mid-60s.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-steve-little\"><b><strong>2. Steve Little<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drumming with Duke Ellington, playing timpani with Weather Report, and playing drums on Sesame Street? That\u2019s right. That\u2019s right. This drummer had quite the variety of gigs as a drummer and percussionist. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Little was a session musician who worked for \u201cChildren\u2019s Television Workshop\u201d from the late 60s to the late 80s. He played on shows like The Electric Company and 3-2-1 Contact, but his biggest claim to fame was performing in the house band on Sesame Street<\/span> &#8211; the popular kids show that has been watched by over 80 million viewers in the US since it started airing in 1969.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to this, he played on Broadway shows like The Wiz, played a ton of jazz sessions, and still continues to perform in clubs around New York to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-ronnie-verrell\"><b><strong>1. Ronnie Verrell<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"416\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181919\/AnimalRonnieVerell.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29955\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181919\/AnimalRonnieVerell.jpg 550w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/09181919\/AnimalRonnieVerell-300x227.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re like millions of other drummers out there, chances are you\u2019ve seen the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VJh9W3Gcpmo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">famous drum battle between Buddy Rich and Animal<\/a> from The Muppet Show which premiered on February 15, 1981. But have you ever wondered who actually recorded Animal\u2019s drum solo? That drummer was Ronnie Verrell, the man behind all of Animal\u2019s drumming on The Muppet Show.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ronnie Verrell was an English jazz musician born in 1926 who worked with two of England\u2019s most famous big bands: the Syd Lawrence Orchestra and the Ted Heath Orchestra. Throughout his career, he also performed with other high-profile musicians like Nat King Cole, Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennet, and Tom Jones, and recorded soundtracks for British TV shows like The Avengers, Captain Scarlett, and Thunderbirds.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The drum battle between Buddy Rich and Animal was a big moment for Verrell because he was up against one of his drumming heroes. But according to Rich in a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jazzprofessional.com\/interviews\/Buddy%20Rich_7.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1981 interview<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the admiration was mutual. He explained, \u201cTo play opposite Ronnie Verrell, one of my all-time favorite drummers, was a total gas to me. That one week will go down as one of the most positive weeks in my career.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verrell passed away in 2002 and is remembered as a \u201cdriving band drummer,\u201d an \u201cexciting soloist,\u201d and for his \u201crare combination of craftsmanship and bravura showmanship.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Are you familiar with any of these drummers, or were they all new to you? Who else belongs on this list?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who played Animal&#8217;s drum solo against Buddy Rich? Who drummed on &#8220;A Charlie Brown Christmas&#8221;? Find out in this video\/article!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":29916,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4019],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drummers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29880"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29880\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49657,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29880\/revisions\/49657"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}