Hal Blaine (1929-2019)

[pb]

Reading on Facebook and Twitter that drummer Hal Blaine has passed away. Sad news. Probably every AT40 from 1970 to 1972 (and some after) has multiple songs where he played, and if Casey had started the show in the 60's it would have featured Hal even more often.

[doofus67]

A sad day indeed for lovers of the drums. Hal was perhaps the greatest session drummer of all time. The songs on which he provided the beat are far too numerous to mention.

I had the privilege of his company back in 2015, when he participated in a SiriusXM Town Hall Meeting program celebrating the Wrecking Crew. Given that they were based in LA, what better place to stage this show than at a jazz club near Universal Studios? I was there as a guest of Lou Simon, who hosted, and I had my photo taken with him.

Hal's legacy will live on forever in the infectious grooves he laid down. RIP.

Recommended playlist:

The Ronettes, "Be My Baby"
The Carpenters, "We've Only Just Begun"
The Raiders, "Indian Reservation"
The 5th Dimension, "Medley: Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In"
Tommy Roe, "Dizzy"
The Beach Boys, "Good Vibrations"

[1finemrg]

Grammy Record of the Year winners:

1966 - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - A Taste of Honey
1967 - Frank Sinatra - Strangers in the Night
1968 - 5th Dimension - Up, Up and Away
1969 - Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson
1970 - 5th Dimension - Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
1971 - Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge over Troubled Water

Drummer on all six songs? Hal Blaine

RIP Hal. You left a legacy of memorable music that will be treasured for generations to come.

[mrjukebox]

I was listening to WICC in Bridgeport,CT earlier today-The station's morning host Tony Reno played a few excerpts of well-known songs that featured Blaine-What a talented drummer he was!

[doofus67]

HAL'S ALL-TIME GREATEST HITS

I compiled this list using Hal's discography on Wikipedia as well as chart data from Bill Carroll's superbook, Ranking the Rock Writers. It only hints at the scope of Hal's work and the longevity of his career. As a collection of songs, it would make an outstanding countdown.

(EDIT: I've discovered, through Lou Simon, host of The Diner and executive producer of the 60s Satellite Survey, both on SiriusXM, that Hal did not, in fact, play drums on "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher, originally #16 on this list.  So, hello, my friend Neil Diamond, hello.  Monday, 4/8.)

1.  MEDLEY: AQUARIUS / LET THE SUNSHINE IN (The Flesh Failures)...The 5th Dimension [11,804 points]
2.  RETURN TO SENDER...Elvis Presley [9296]
3.  SOMETHIN' STUPID...Frank & Nancy Sinatra [9108]
4.  BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER...Simon & Garfunkel [8896]
5.  I THINK I LOVE YOU...The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones Featuring David Cassidy [8857]
6.  WINDY...The Association [8778]
7.  DIZZY...Tommy Roe [8722]
8.  MRS. ROBINSON...Simon & Garfunkel [8641]
9.  I GET AROUND...The Beach Boys [8633]
10.  EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY...Dean Martin [8239]
11.  INDIAN RESERVATION (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)...The Raiders [8111]
12.  GOOD VIBRATIONS...The Beach Boys [8071]
13.  MONDAY, MONDAY...The Mamas & the Papas [7870]
14.  THIS DIAMOND RING...Gary Lewis & the Playboys [7757]
15.  WEDDING BELL BLUES...The 5th Dimension [7706]
16.  (They Long to Be) CLOSE TO YOU...The Carpenters [7620]
17.  YOUNG GIRL...The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett [7523]
18.  ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER...The 5th Dimension [7509]
19.  WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN...The Carpenters [7395]
20.  JOHNNY ANGEL...Shelley Fabares [7079]
21.  THE WAY WE WERE...Barbra Streisand [6902]
22.  THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN'...Nancy Sinatra [6840]
23.  NEVER MY LOVE...The Association [6833]
24.  LOVE THEME FROM ROMEO AND JULIET...Henry Mancini, His Orchestra & Chorus [6778]
25.  LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER...The Captain & Tennille [6699]
26.  SURF CITY...Jan & Dean [6644]
27.  EVE OF DESTRUCTION...Barry McGuire [6384]
28.  HE'S A REBEL...The Crystals [6361]
29.  HELP ME, RHONDA...The Beach Boys [6345]
30.  STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT...Frank Sinatra [6342]
31.  THE HAPPENING...The Supremes [6167]
32.  HALF-BREED...Cher [6135]
33.  MR. TAMBOURINE MAN...The Byrds [6122]
34.  BE MY BABY...The Ronettes [6059]
35.  SUPERSTAR...The Carpenters [6023]
36.  POOR SIDE OF TOWN...Johnny Rivers [5962]
37.  WICHITA LINEMAN...Glen Campbell [5760]
38.  RHYTHM OF THE RAIN...The Cascades [5722]
39.  WOMAN, WOMAN...The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett [5707]
40.  CRACKLIN' ROSIE...Neil Diamond [5687]

[doofus67]

Apr 2, 2019 1:01:44 GMT -5 doofus67 said:

HAL'S ALL-TIME GREATEST HITS

I compiled this list using Hal's discography on Wikipedia as well as chart data from Bill Carroll's superbook, Ranking the Rock Writers. It only hints at the scope of Hal's work and the longevity of his career. As a collection of songs, it would make an outstanding countdown.

(EDIT: I've discovered, through Lou Simon, host of The Diner and executive producer of the 60s Satellite Survey, both on SiriusXM, that Hal did not, in fact, play drums on "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher, originally #16 on this list.  So, hello, my friend Neil Diamond, hello.  Monday, 4/8.)

1.  MEDLEY: AQUARIUS / LET THE SUNSHINE IN (The Flesh Failures)...The 5th Dimension [11,804 points]
2.  RETURN TO SENDER...Elvis Presley [9296]
3.  SOMETHIN' STUPID...Frank & Nancy Sinatra [9108]
4.  BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER...Simon & Garfunkel [8896]
5.  I THINK I LOVE YOU...The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones Featuring David Cassidy [8857]
6.  WINDY...The Association [8778]
7.  DIZZY...Tommy Roe [8722]
8.  MRS. ROBINSON...Simon & Garfunkel [8641]
9.  I GET AROUND...The Beach Boys [8633]
10.  EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY...Dean Martin [8239]
11.  INDIAN RESERVATION (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)...The Raiders [8111]
12.  GOOD VIBRATIONS...The Beach Boys [8071]
13.  MONDAY, MONDAY...The Mamas & the Papas [7870]
14.  THIS DIAMOND RING...Gary Lewis & the Playboys [7757]
15.  WEDDING BELL BLUES...The 5th Dimension [7706]
16.  (They Long to Be) CLOSE TO YOU...The Carpenters [7620]
17.  YOUNG GIRL...The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett [7523]
18.  ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER...The 5th Dimension [7509]
19.  WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN...The Carpenters [7395]
20.  JOHNNY ANGEL...Shelley Fabares [7079]
21.  THE WAY WE WERE...Barbra Streisand [6902]
22.  THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN'...Nancy Sinatra [6840]
23.  NEVER MY LOVE...The Association [6833]
24.  LOVE THEME FROM ROMEO AND JULIET...Henry Mancini, His Orchestra & Chorus [6778]
25.  LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER...The Captain & Tennille [6699]
26.  SURF CITY...Jan & Dean [6644]
27.  EVE OF DESTRUCTION...Barry McGuire [6384]
28.  HE'S A REBEL...The Crystals [6361]
29.  HELP ME, RHONDA...The Beach Boys [6345]
30.  STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT...Frank Sinatra [6342]
31.  THE HAPPENING...The Supremes [6167]
32.  HALF-BREED...Cher [6135]
33.  MR. TAMBOURINE MAN...The Byrds [6122]
34.  BE MY BABY...The Ronettes [6059]
35.  SUPERSTAR...The Carpenters [6023]
36.  POOR SIDE OF TOWN...Johnny Rivers [5962]
37.  WICHITA LINEMAN...Glen Campbell [5760]
38.  RHYTHM OF THE RAIN...The Cascades [5722]
39.  WOMAN, WOMAN...The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett [5707]
40.  CRACKLIN' ROSIE...Neil Diamond [5687]

Re-posting in honor of the anniversary of Hal's passing.  The beat goes on...