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American drummer (1924–2008) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Earl Cyril Palmer (October 25, 1924 – September 19, 2008) was an American drummer. Considered one of the inventors of rock and roll,[1] he is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[2]
Earl Palmer | |
|---|---|
Palmer in 2000 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Earl Cyril Palmer |
| Born | October 25, 1924 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | September 19, 2008 (aged 83) Banning, California, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, rock, jazz |
| Occupation | Session musician |
| Instrument | Drums |
Palmer was one of the most prolific studio musicians of all time and played on thousands of recordings, including nearly all of Little Richard's hits, many of Fats Domino's hits, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by the Righteous Brothers, and a long list of classic TV and film soundtracks. According to one obituary, "his list of credits read like a Who's Who of American popular music of the last 60 years".[3]
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Born into a show-business family in New Orleans and raised in the Tremé district, Palmer started his career at five as a tap dancer, joining his mother and aunt on the black vaudeville circuit in its twilight and touring the country extensively with Ida Cox's Darktown Scandals Review. His father is thought to have been the local pianist and bandleader Walter "Fats" Pichon.[3] Palmer was raised Catholic.[4]
Palmer was 12 when he headlined a floor show at the Rhythm Club in New Orleans, "a very beautiful spot where one can enjoy a floor show, headed by Alvin Howey and Little Earl Palmer".[5]
Palmer served in the United States Army during World War II and was posted in the European theatre.[6] His biographer wrote,
Most Negro recruits were assigned to noncombatant service troops: work gangs in uniform. "They didn't want no niggers carrying guns," says Earl; they carried shovels and garbage cans instead. Earl's job, loading and handling ammunition, was relatively technical, but his duty was clear: to serve white infantrymen.
— Tony Scherman, Backbeat: Earl Palmer's Story (1999), p. 47[7]
After the war ended Palmer studied piano and percussion at the Gruenwald School of Music in New Orleans, where he also learned to read music. He started drumming with the Dave Bartholomew Band in the late 1940s.[3] Palmer was known for playing on New Orleans recording sessions, including Fats Domino's "The Fat Man" and "I'm Walkin" (and several more of Domino's hits), "Tipitina" by Professor Longhair, "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard (and most of Richard's hits), "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" by Lloyd Price, and "I Hear You Knocking'" by Smiley Lewis.
His playing on "The Fat Man" featured the backbeat that has come to be the most important element in rock and roll. Palmer said, "That song required a strong afterbeat throughout the whole piece. With Dixieland you had a strong afterbeat only after you got to the shout last chorus…It was sort of a new approach to rhythm music." Reportedly, he was the first to use the word funky, to explain to other musicians that their music should be made more syncopated and danceable.[3]
Palmer left New Orleans for Hollywood in 1957, initially working for Aladdin Records. He soon started working with the Wrecking Crew, a loose-knit group of session musicians who recorded nonstop during their heyday from 1962 to 1968.
The musicians union tracked Palmer playing on 450 dates in 1967 alone.
For more than 30 years he played drums on the soundtracks of many movies and television shows. Amongst the many artists he worked with were Glenn Yarbrough, Frank Sinatra, Phil Spector, Ricky Nelson, Bobby Vee, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Eddie Cochran, Ritchie Valens, Bobby Day, Don and Dewey, Jan and Dean, The Beach Boys, Larry Williams, Gene McDaniels, Bobby Darin, Neil Young, The Pets, The Byrds when they were still known as The Beefeaters, and B. Bumble and the Stingers. He also played in jazz sessions with David Axelrod, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Bostic, Onzy Matthews, and Count Basie, and he contributed to blues recordings by B.B. King.
He remained in demand as a drummer throughout the 1970s and 1980s, playing on recordings for albums by Randy Newman, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Buckley, Little Feat and Elvis Costello.[3]
In 1982, Palmer was elected treasurer of the Local 47 of the American Federation of Musicians. He served until he was defeated in 1984. He was re-elected in 1990.[6]
A biography, Backbeat: Earl Palmer's Story, by Tony Scherman, was published in 1999.[7]
In later years, Palmer played with a jazz trio in Los Angeles.[3]
Palmer is interviewed on screen and appears in performance footage in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky!, which presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk and jazz.[8] In the film, he performs "Rip It Up" with guest vocalist Ivan Neville and house band.[9]
Palmer is also interviewed in the 2008 documentary film about Los Angeles session musicians, The Wrecking Crew.
Palmer died in September 2008, in Banning, California, after a long illness.[10] He is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
Palmer married four times and had seven children.[2] At the time of his death, he was survived by his children Earl Cyril Palmer Jr., Donald Alfred Palmer, Ronald Raymond Palmer and Patricia Ann Palmer from his marriage to Catherine Palmer; Shelly Margaret Palmer and Pamela Teresa Palmer from his marriage to Susan Joy Weidenpesch; and Penny Yasuko Palmer from his marriage to Yumiko Makino. He married his fourth wife, Jeline, in 2004.[10]
In 2000, Palmer became one of the first session musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[3]
With David Axelrod
With The Beach Boys
With Glen Campbell
With Ray Charles
With Sam Cooke
With Bobby Darin
With Fats Domino
With José Feliciano
With Bobbie Gentry
With Lightnin' Hopkins
With B.B. King
With Peggy Lee
With Ketty Lester
With Harvey Mandel
With Teena Marie
With The Monkees
With Maria Muldaur
With Della Reese
With Little Richard
With Howard Roberts
With Lalo Schifrin
With Frank Sinatra
With others
Palmer was the session drummer for a number of film scores, including:[7]
1961
1963
1964
1965
1967
1968
Palmer was also the session drummer for a number of television show themes and soundtracks, including:[7]
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lloyd Price | "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smiley Lewis | "I Hear You Knocking" | ||
| Fats Domino | "Blue Monday" | ||
| Shirley and Lee | "Feel So Good" | ||
| Little Richard | "Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey" | Later covered by The Beatles |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Richard | "Tutti Frutti" | #17 | |
| Fats Domino | "I'm in Love Again" | #3 | |
| Fats Domino | "My Blue Heaven" | #19 | |
| Fats Domino | "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" | #14 | |
| Little Richard | "Long Tall Sally" | #6 | |
| Little Richard | "Slippin' and Slidin'" | #33 | |
| Little Richard | "Rip It Up" | #17 | |
| Amos Milburn | "Chicken Shack Boogie" | ||
| Shirley and Lee | "Let the Good Times Roll" | #20 |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts | Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fats Domino | "I'm Walkin'" | #4 March 9, 1957 | ||
| Roy Brown | "Let the Four Winds Blow" | #29 July 1, 1957 | ||
| Sam Cooke | "You Send Me" | #1 October 28, 1957 | ||
| Thurston Harris | "Little Bitty Pretty One" | #6 October 28, 1957 | ||
| Don and Dewey | "I'm Leaving It Up to You" | July 18, recorded 1957 | Became a #1 hit for Dale and Grace in 1963 and a #4 for Donny and Marie Osmond in 1974[12] | |
| The Hollywood Flames | "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz" | #11 December 2, 1957 | Bobby Day, lead singer | |
| Little Richard | "Lucille" | #21 April 6, 1957 | ||
| Little Richard | "Jenny Jenny" | #10 June 24, 1957 | ||
| Bob Luman | "Red Hot" | |||
| Ricky Nelson | "I'm Walkin'" | #4 May 6, 1957 | Palmer had previously charted with the Fats Domino original version of this song | |
| Ricky Nelson | "Be-Bop Baby" | #3 October 7, 1957 | ||
| Larry Williams | "Slow Down" | Recorded September 11, 1957 | Song later recorded by The Beatles | |
| Larry Williams | "Short Fat Fanny" | #5 July 8, 1957 | ||
| Larry Williams | "Bony Moronie" | #14 November 11, 1957 | Song later covered by John Lennon | |
| Percy Mayfield | "Please Believe Me" |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Cochran | "Summertime Blues" | #8 August 25, 1958 | |
| Bobby Day | "The Bluebird, the Buzzard and the Oriole" | ||
| Bobby Day | "Rockin' Robin" | #2 August 4, 1958 | |
| Bobby Day | "Over and Over" | #41 | Covered by the Dave Clark Five for a #1 hit |
| Doris Day | "Everybody Loves a Lover" | #6 August 4, 1958 | |
| Eddie Cochran | "Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie" | #94 | |
| Fats Domino | "I Hear You Knocking" | Previously (1955) recorded with Smiley Lewis | |
| Don and Dewey | "Koko Joe" | Recorded March 27, 1958 | Song written by Sonny Bono and released as a single for The Righteous Brothers in 1963 |
| Jan and Arnie | "Jennie Lee" | #8 | Jan and Arnie later changed their name to Jan and Dean |
| Johnny Otis Show | "Willie and the Hand Jive" | #9 | |
| Little Richard | "Good Golly, Miss Molly" | #10 | |
| Art and Dotty Todd | "Chanson D'Amour" | #6 | |
| The Burnette Brothers Johnny Burnette & Dorsey Burnette |
"Warm Love, Boppin' Rosalie" | Recorded February 5, 1958 | |
| Eugene Church | "Pretty Girls Everywhere" | ||
| Ritchie Valens | "Come On, Let's Go" | #42 | |
| Ritchie Valens | "Donna" | #2, 12/15/58 | |
| Ritchie Valens | "La Bamba" | #22, 1/19/59 | |
| Larry Williams | "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" | Later covered by The Beatles | |
| Sheb Wooley | "The Purple People Eater" | #1 | Remained #1 for 14 weeks |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edd Byrnes | "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)" | #4 | The female voice on the song is Connie Stevens |
| Eddie Cochran | "Teenage Heaven" | #99 | |
| Anita Bryant | "Till There Was You" | #30 | |
| Ernie Fields | "In the Mood" | #4 | |
| Don and Dewey | "Farmer John" | ||
| Don and Dewey | "Pink Champagne" | ||
| Jan and Dean | "Baby Talk" | #10 | |
| Chan Romero | "Hippy Hippy Shake" | Later covered many times, notably by The Swinging Blue Jeans | |
| April Stevens | "Teach Me Tiger" | ||
| Don Ralke | "Bourbon Street Beat" | ||
| Connie Stevens | "Sixteen Reasons" | #3 | |
| The Teddy Bears | "Oh Why" | ||
| Larry Williams | "Bad Boy" | Recorded by The Beatles in 1964 | |
| Ritchie Valens | "Stay Beside Me" |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Vee | "Devil or Angel" | #6 | |
| Bobby Vee | "Rubber Ball" | #6 | |
| Bobby Bare | "Book of Love" | ||
| Dante & the Evergreens | "Alley Oop" | #15 | |
| Dinah Washington | "Love Walked In" | ||
| Walter Brennan | "Dutchman's Gold" | #30 | |
| Dorsey Burnette | "Hey Little One" | #48 |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| B. Bumble and the Stingers | "Bumble Boogie" | #21 | A reworking of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee |
| B. Bumble and the Stingers | "Nut Rocker" | #23 | A reworking of Tchaikovsky's March of the Toy Soldiers, Nutcracker ballet |
| Glen Campbell | "Turn Around, Look at Me" | #62 | |
| Timi Yuro | "Hurt" | #4 | |
| Jimmy Witherspoon | "Warm Your Heart" | ||
| The Castelles | "Sacred" | ||
| Bobby Vee | "Run to Him" | #2 | |
| Bobby Vee | "Take Good Care of My Baby" | #1 | |
| Paul Anka | "Dance On Little Girl" | #10 | |
| Sam Cooke | "Cupid" | #17 | |
| Sam Cooke | "Twisting the Night Away" | #9 | |
| Bobby Darin | "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" | #5 | |
| Simms Twins | "Soothe Me" | #5 on the US R&B charts | Written by Sam Cooke |
| Jackie DeShannon | "Heaven Is Being with You" | ||
| The Fleetwoods | "Tragedy" | #10 | |
| The Fleetwoods | "(He's) The Great Imposter" | #30 | |
| Lou Rawls | "Above My Head" | ||
| The Lettermen | "When I Fall in Love" | #7 | |
| Gene McDaniels | "Chip Chip" | #10 | |
| Gene McDaniels | "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" | #3 | |
| Gene McDaniels | "Tower of Strength" | #5 |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass | "The Lonely Bull" | #6 | ||
| Walter Brennan | "Mama Sang a Song" | |||
| Vicki Carr | "He's a Rebel" | #115 | ||
| Ray Charles | "I Can't Stop Loving You" | #1 | ||
| Ray Charles | "You Don't Know Me" | #2 | ||
| Nat King Cole | "Ramblin' Rose" | #2 | ||
| Johnny Crawford | "Cindy's Birthday" | #8 | ||
| Bobby Darin | "You're the Reason I'm Living" | #3 | ||
| Duane Eddy | "Ballad of Paladin" | #33 | Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the top 100 Western songs of all time (#36).[13] | |
| The Everly Brothers | "Don't Ask Me to Be Friends" | #48 | ||
| Ketty Lester | "Love Letters" | #5 | ||
| Willie Nelson | "Half a Man" | #25 on the US Country charts | ||
| Clifford Scott | "The Kangaroo/Skee-dattle to Seattle" | |||
| Frank Sinatra | "Everybody's Twistin'" | |||
| Bobby Vee | "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" | #3 |
| Artist | Song title | Highest position on US charts |
Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roy Clark | "Through the Eyes of a Fool" | #128, #31 on Country chart | |
| Bobby Darin | "Treat My Baby Good" | #43 | |
| The Everly Brothers | "It's Been Nice (Goodnight)" | #101 | |
| Jan and Dean | "Drag City" | #10 | |
| Jan and Dean | "Surf City" | #1 |
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