Hal Blaine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew
Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew
Background information
Birth name Harold Simon Belsky
Born February 5, 1929 (1929-02-05) (age 79)
Origin Holyoke, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s) Session musician
Instrument(s) Drums
Years active 1940s-present
Associated acts Elvis Presley, Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, The Mamas and the Papas, The Byrds, Johnny Rivers, Elkie Brooks, The Association, Sonny and Cher, The Grass Roots, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Neil Diamond, Simon & Garfunkel, John Denver, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Captain & Tennille, The Carpenters, Henry Mancini, Paul Revere & the Raiders, 5th Dimension, Supremes, Barbra Streisand, Nancy Sinatra, Diana Ross, Jan & Dean, Dean Martin

Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky, 5 February 1929, Holyoke, Massachusetts) is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, Simon & Garfunkel and The Beach Boys. He is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Contents

[edit] Grammy Awards

A little-known Grammy Awards record is held by Blaine who played on 6 consecutive Record of the Year winners:

[edit] #1 hits

[edit] Additional facts

Blaine recorded an all-instrumental album in the 1960s entitled Psychedelic Percussion. It featured 12 tracks, one representing each month of the year.

In 1965 the Beach Boys and Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean recorded an off-the-cuff cover version of The Regents' 1961 hit song, "Barbara Ann." It was released as a 45 rpm single and on the Beach Boys Party LP in 1965. During the hectic instrumental break, one of the singers can be heard shouting off-mike, "It's Hal and His Famous Ashtrays!". This is a reference to Blaine, who was playing percussion at the session, and who accompanied this improvised song by drumming on a pair of overturned glass ashtrays.

The Beach Boys' drummer, Dennis Wilson let Hal Blaine do a large amount of the drumming on Beach Boys' recordings. In fact, when Wilson made his own solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue he hired Blaine to play the drums. Blaine said, "I made $50 an hour playing Beach Boys songs in the studio - Dennis made $50,000 a week playing them in concert."

[edit] References

  • Blaine, Hal with David Groggin, Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew, Mix Books, 1990
  • Whitburn. Joel, Top 40 Hits, Billboard Publications, New York 1992

[edit] External links