Last Friday, drummer Earl Palmer passed away at the age of 84 in his Los Angeles home after a long recorded illness. Originally based out of New Orleans, Palmer laid down the foundation for a ton of early rock & roll and R&B classics, including Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti”, Fats Domino’s “Walking to New Orleans”, Smiley Lewis’ “I Hear You Knockin”, The Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin”, and Lloyd Price’s “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”, bringing forward that crucial swinging rhythm and jazzy drum beat.

The U.K.’s Telepgraph had this to say…

“Palmer was respected not just for his skills as a drummer but also for the fact that he was never fazed by the exalted company in which he found himself. After all, he had a fair claim to be among the inventors of rock ‘n’ roll.”

Palmer had been described by Little Richard as the “greatest session drummer of all time.” He was inducted into the U.S. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and has appeared on the records of artists as diverse as The Monkees, Tom Waits, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Costello and Neil Young. It’s no lie that Palmer’s career as a preeminent session man throughout the 60’s and 70’s has helped shape American music into what it is today.

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Tags: Earl Palmer, R.I.P.