Hal Blaine

Hal Blaine may well be the most profilic drummer in rock and roll history. He's certainly played on more hit records than any drummer in the rock era, including 40 #1 singles and 150 that made the Top Ten. Eight of the records he played on won Grammys for Record of the Year. Blaine, who was born Harold Simon Belsky in 1929, became a professional drummer in 1948 and joined teen idol Tommy Sands' band in the late Fifties. He was the most in-demand session drummer in Los Angeles during the Sixties and early Seventies, and a list of musicians he played with reads like a who's who of popular music. In 1961, Hal Blaine drummed on "Can't Help Falling in Love With You," one of Elvis Presley's most memorable sides, and he would play on Presley's film soundtracks throughout the Sixties. However, Blaine's best-known affiliation is with producer Phil Spector, where he served as the percussive backbone of the "Wrecking Crew"—the nickname that younger studio hands on the L.A. scene bestowed on themselves after the rock-hating old-timers complained they were "wrecking the business." He was a key component of Spector's "Wall of Sound" production, which yielded such classic rock and roll hits as "Be My Baby," by the Ronettes, and "Da Doo Ron Ron," by the Crystals. Blaine also established a fruitful relationship with Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson, for whom he served as the first-call session drummer. Blaine appeared on innumerable Beach Boys hits, ranging from "Surfer Girl" to "Good Vibrations." He also drummed on countless recordings by the cream of West Coast pop musicians, including Jan and Dean, the Mamas and the Papas, the Byrds, Johnny Rivers, the Association, Sonny and Cher, the Grass Roots, and Gary Lewis and the Playboys. On the more "adult" side of the pop ledger, Blaine played drums on recordings by Frank Sinatra and Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. By Blaine's own estimate, he performed on 35,000 recorded tracks over in a quarter century's worth of work. He published his memoirs, Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew, in 1990. Hal Blaine passed away on March 11, 2019 at the age of 90 - a sad day for the drumming community ...

© Alex Solca

Hal Blaine & The Beach Boys recording Good Vibrations

© Lissa Wales







© Alex Solca







© Alex Solca




© Alex Solca



© Alex Solca

Some No.1 Hits of Hal Blaine: Get Around The Beach Boys Cracklin' Rose Neil Diamond Mr. Tambourine Man The Byrds Everbody Needs Somebody Dean Martin

© Ingrid Faching











Jim Keltner - Hal Blaine - Chad Smith - Earl Palmer



Nancy Sinatra - Hal Blaine



































Alex Van Halen - Hal Blaine - Jeff Porcaro



George Harrison - Hal Blaine

Wow! Bernhard - unreal! An inspiration and complete treat to be included with all these amazing musicians! Thank you for your hard work - Unbelieveable! Have Fun! Play Drums! Hal Blaine

Nancy Sinatra - Hal Blaine



Jim Keltner - Hal Blaine - Chad Smith - Earl Palmer



Sammy Davis Jr. - Hal Blaine



Sammy Davis Jr. - Hal Blaine



Joe Morello - Hal Blaine



Hal Blaine - John De Christopher



Hal Blaine - Vinnie Colaiuta



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