Drummer Hal Blaine - the beat behind many of the greatest records made during the 1960s and '70s as a member of legendary studio band the Wrecking Crew - has died at the age of 90.
"May he rest forever on 2 and 4," read a family statement on his official Facebook page. "The family appreciates your outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Hal from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time."
Incredibly, Blaine is reported to have played on more than 35,000 recordings, including some 6,000 singles.
He featured on the majority of Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound productions, including the Ronettes’ Be My Baby, playing that unforgettable drum intro. He also appeared on many of the Beach Boys’ best-known records.
Standing in for the band’s own drummer, Dennis Wilson, while the group was touring, he featured on the classic 1966 album Pet Sounds and The Beach Boys' huge, groundbreaking hit from that same year, Good Vibrations.
Other famous recordings that he graced include Simon & Garfunkel’s Mrs Robinson, The Boxer and Bridge Over Troubled Water, Frank Sinatra’s Strangers in the Night, I Got You Babe by Sony and Cher, The Byrds' Mr Tambourine Man.
The list is outrageous. Here's a few more: These Boots Are Made For Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra, The Carpenters' Close To You, Annie's Song by John Denver, The Mama and the Papas' Monday Monday.
Blaine also recorded with the likes of Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Dean Martin, Jan & Dean, Johnny Rivers, The Monkees, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Cher and Steely Dan.
Blaine was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a sideman in 2000 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2018.
Among the many praising Blaine's immense contribution to pop music, Horslips' drummer Eamon Carr described him as "the Man! Drummed brilliantly on so many tracks, probably close on 50,000. R.I.P. Big man."
Hal fuckin' Blaine - the Man! Drummed brilliantly on so many tracks, probably close on 50,000. R.I.P. Big man. https://t.co/j2a4aBFqUw
— eamon carr (@carrtogram) March 11, 2019
Beach Boys' Brian Wilson also tweeted: "I’m so sad, I don’t know what to say. Hal Blaine was such a great musician and friend that I can’t put it into words . . . he was the greatest drummer ever."
I’m so sad, I don’t know what to say. Hal Blaine was such a great musician and friend that I can’t put it into words. Hal taught me a lot, and he had so much to do with our success - he was the greatest drummer ever. We also laughed an awful lot. Love, Brian pic.twitter.com/vLOX3RIKc6
— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonLive) March 11, 2019
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