 |
British Session Drummer Bobby Graham Passes Away
Bobby Graham passed away on September 14 at the age of sixty-nine, at the Isabel Hospice in Welwyn Garden City, Herts, England, after a four-month battle with stomach cancer. The hit-making ’60s session drummer played on more than 15,000 tracks, by artists such as the Animals, the Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits, the Kinks, Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, P.J. Proby, the Fortunes, Cilla Black, the Pretty Things, and Gene Pitney, among many others. Graham’s hit records include “You Really Got Me” and “All Day And All Of The Night” by the Kinks, “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place” by the Animals, “Downtown” by Petula Clark, “You’ve Got Your Troubles” by the Fortunes, “It’s Not Unusual” by Tom Jones, and “Hold Me” by P.J. Proby. He also played many sessions with Jimmy Page and drummed on Page’s 1965 solo single “She Just Satisfies.”
Born Robert Neate in Edmonton, North London, Graham started his career playing at Butlins holiday camps before joining Mike Berry and the Outlaws (who recorded many sessions for the legendary producer Joe Meek), as well as Joe Brown and the Bruvvers, Marty Wilde’s Wildcats, and the John Barry Seven. His drumming prowess with these bands drew the attention of top producers, and Graham became the drummer of choice for the prominent musical directors of the time. His last activity before illness intervened was recording and performing with his band the Jazz Experience.
 Graham is survived by his wife, Belinda, his son, Shawn, and his younger brother, Ian. For more information and a discography, go to www.bobbygraham.co.uk. And look for more on Bobby in an upcoming issue of Modern Drummer magazine.
|
|
|
|
Back to News Headings
