Earl Palmer

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Earl Palmer (born October 25, 1924 in New Orleans) is a legendary drummer and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He started his career at the age of five as a tap dancer, joining his mother and aunt on the black vaudeville circuit in its twilight.

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[edit] New Orleans

Palmer is best known for playing on many legendary New Orleans recording sessions, including Fats Domino's "The Fat Man" (and all the rest of Fats' hits), "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard (and most of Richard's hits), "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" by Lloyd Price, and "I Hear You Knockin'" by Smiley Lewis.

His playing on "The Fat Man" featured one of the first instances of the back beat that has come to be the most important element in rock and roll. Palmer has 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."

[edit] After New Orleans

Palmer left New Orleans for Hollywood in 1957. His career as a session drummer included work with Frank Sinatra, Phil Spector, Rick Nelson, Ray Charles, Eddie Cochran, Ritchie Valens, as well as jazz sessions with Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie, and appearing on blues recordings with B. B. King.

In 1982, Palmer ran for and was elected treasurer of the Local 47 of the American Federation of Musicians. He served until he was defeated in 1984 and was re-elected to the position in 1990.

[edit] Family

He married four times, producing seven children: Earl Cyril Palmer, Jr., Donald Alfred Palmer, Ronald Raymond Palmer and Patricia Ann Palmer from his first marriage to Catherine Palmer; Shelly Margaret Palmer and Pamela Teresa Palmer from his second marriage to Susan Joy Weidenpesch; and Penny Yasuko Palmer from his third marriage to Yumiko Makino. Palmer celebrated his 80th birthday on October 25, 2004, married his fourth wife Jeline Palmer in December 2004, and currently resides in California.

[edit] Quotations

  • "You could always tell a New Orleans drummer the minute you heard him play his bass drum because he'd have that parade beat connotation." --Earl Palmer.
  • Late in his career, Palmer appeared in a music video with Cracker on the song "I hate my generation". As Addicted to Noise tells the story:"According to Cracker leader David Lowery, when Palmer was asked if he would be able to play along with the songs, he gave Lowery a look and said, 'I invented this shit.'"
  • "I've been asked if people could borrow my drums because they like their sound. What the hell, they think the drums play themselves? I said, 'You really want 'em? Really? Okay. Cost you triple scale and cartage.'"

[edit] Recordings

Below are albums and songs that Earl Palmer performed on.

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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