Hal Blaine, famed session drummer and member of The Wrecking Crew, died yesterday (March 11) at the age of 90. His death was confirmed on his Facebook page.
Blaine was born on February 5, 1929, in Holyoke, Massachusetts. In his early-teens, Blaine and his family moved to California. He took up drumming in his 20s, landing rock ‘n’ roll session gigs in the 1950s. In the early-1960s, Blaine was recruited by notorious producer Phil Spector for recording sessions in Los Angeles that brought together the group of musicians called The Wrecking Crew. Blaine was integral to Spector’s “Wall Of Sound” technique contributing to such hits as “He’s a Rebel” by The Crystals, “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes and many others.
Blaine’s session work also included performing on Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You,” The Beach Boys’ landmark Pet Sounds album, as well as Simon & Garfunkel’s classics “Mrs. Robinson” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers In The Night” and The 5th Dimension’s “Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In.” Blaine recorded drums on 40 No. 1 hits for the likes of Herb Alpert, The Byrds, The Supremes, John Denver, The Mamas & The Papas and more.
Blaine is said to have been the drummer on an estimated 35,000 recordings during his career, with over 150 Top 10 hits among his credits. In 2000, Blaine was one the inaugural “sidemen” inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
