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May 29, 2021 8:13 am  #1


Muscle Shoals Sound Studio drummer/cofounder Roger Hawkins has died

Roger Hawkins, one of the most influential, accomplished and danceable drummers in American music history, has died. Hawkins was 75.
Hawkins was a member of Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, the studio musicians better known as The Swampers, thanks to being immortalized in the lyrics to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Southern-rock anthem “Sweet Home Alabama.”
https://www.al.com/news/2021/05/swampers-drummer-muscle-shoals-sound-studio-cofounder-roger-hawkins-has-died.html

 

May 30, 2021 9:26 am  #2


Re: Muscle Shoals Sound Studio drummer/cofounder Roger Hawkins has died

Back in the day, many years ago when I was learning to play drums, Roger Hawkins was the first drummer I actually took note of. His work on Aretha Franklin's songs, especially "The House that Jack Built" totally blew me away. I loved his funkiness, crispness and precision. He was a major influence in my drumming.

 

May 30, 2021 9:45 am  #3


Re: Muscle Shoals Sound Studio drummer/cofounder Roger Hawkins has died

Thanks for sharing that, Alan. I actually wasn't familiar with his name, but one of the reasons I think that it's good to post obituaries of this nature here is because of the significance of people like him in the music that we love. Knowing that he was such an influence on your own drumming, and I'm sure many others, is another example of this.

     Thread Starter
 

June 6, 2021 8:30 am  #4


Re: Muscle Shoals Sound Studio drummer/cofounder Roger Hawkins has died

alangee wrote:

Back in the day, many years ago when I was learning to play drums, Roger Hawkins was the first drummer I actually took note of. His work on Aretha Franklin's songs, especially "The House that Jack Built" totally blew me away. I loved his funkiness, crispness and precision. He was a major influence in my drumming.

that's really great. if you came up past those surf drum disco platters, i can see how hawkins would have brought something meatier to your attention.

i'm wondering, though, in light of your attraction to hawkins, what, if anything, did you make of al jackson? too thin, perhaps? or, had jackson passed before you picked up on him or hawkins?
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/nov/25/al-jackson-jr-memphis-sunset-the-mysterious-death-of-stax-heartbeat
 

 

June 8, 2021 6:18 pm  #5


Re: Muscle Shoals Sound Studio drummer/cofounder Roger Hawkins has died

gopher wrote:

alangee wrote:

Back in the day, many years ago when I was learning to play drums, Roger Hawkins was the first drummer I actually took note of. His work on Aretha Franklin's songs, especially "The House that Jack Built" totally blew me away. I loved his funkiness, crispness and precision. He was a major influence in my drumming.

that's really great. if you came up past those surf drum disco platters, i can see how hawkins would have brought something meatier to your attention.

i'm wondering, though, in light of your attraction to hawkins, what, if anything, did you make of al jackson? too thin, perhaps? or, had jackson passed before you picked up on him or hawkins?
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/nov/25/al-jackson-jr-memphis-sunset-the-mysterious-death-of-stax-heartbeat
 

To be perfectly honest, I was never a true student or follower of specific drummers. (I was never a that great drummer either. I just enjoyed playing them and being in the local garage bands!) I only knew of Hawkins from Aretha's Greatest Hits album because his picture and name was on the album and I wore out the grooves listening to it. That is how I remember him. I also became aware of Hal Blaine when I first saw his name on one of my Fifth Dimension albums. As for Al Jackson I didn't know about him until I just read his bio on Wikipedia because you mentioned him and obviously he was a great drummer. If I'd had a Booker T & the MGs album I might have learned about him sooner!

 

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