Hal Blaine - Biography

Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky, 5 February 1929, Holyoke, Massachusetts) is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and the 5th Dimension. Blaine is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

"Hal Blaine Strikes Again"

Hal Blaine Strikes Again is a rubber stamp used by Blaine to stamp scores that he plays and also places where he played. Drummer and author Max Weinberg, in his introduction to the chapter on Blaine in his book, writes:

Another drummer, Mike Botts, then with the band Bread, recalls: “Every studio I went to in the late sixties, there was a rubber stamp imprint on the wall of the drum booth that said, ‘Hal Blaine strikes again.’ Hal was getting so many studio dates he actually had a rubber stamp made. He was everywhere!”

Grammy Awards

A little known Grammy Awards record is held by Blaine who played on 6 consecutive Record of the Year winners:

• Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in 1966 for "A Taste of Honey";
• Frank Sinatra in 1967 for "Strangers in the Night";
• The 5th Dimension in 1968 for "Up, Up and Away";
• Simon & Garfunkel in 1969 for "Mrs. Robinson";
• The 5th Dimension in 1970 for "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"; and
• Simon & Garfunkel in 1971 for "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

#1 hits

• "Can't Help Falling in Love" - Elvis Presley (12/18/61)
• "He's a Rebel" - The Crystals (10/06/62)
• "Surf City" - Jan & Dean (06/22/63)
• "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys (06/06/64)
• "Everybody Loves Somebody" - Dean Martin (07/11/64)
• "Ringo" - Lorne Greene (11/07/64)
• "This Diamond Ring" - Gary Lewis & the Playboys (01/23/65)
• "Help Me, Rhonda" - The Beach Boys (05/01/65)
• "Mr Tambourine Man" - The Byrds (06/05/65)
• "I Got You Babe" -Sonny & Cher (07/31/65)
• "Eve of Destruction" - Barry McGuire (08/28/65)
• "My Love" - Petula Clark (01/15/66)
• "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" - Nancy Sinatra (02/05/66)
• "Monday Monday" - The Mamas & the Papas (04/16/66)
• "Strangers in the Night" - Frank Sinatra (07/02/66)
• "Poor Side of Town" - Johnny Rivers (10/08/66)
• "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys (10/29/66)
• "Somethin' Stupid" - Frank & Nancy Sinatra (03/25/67)
• "The Happening" - The Supremes (04/15/67)
• "Windy" - The Association (06/03/67)
• "Mrs. Robinson" - Simon & Garfunkel (05/04/68)
• "Dizzy" - Tommy Roe (03/15/69)
• "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" - The 5th Dimension (04/12/69)
• "Love Theme - Romeo & Juliet" - Henry Mancini (05/24/69)
• "Wedding Bell Blues" - The 5th Dimension (10/04/69)
• "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon & Garfunkel (02/14/70)
• "(They Long to Be) Close to You" - The Carpenters (06/27/70)
• "Cracklin' Rosie" - Neil Diamond (08/29/70)
• "Indian Reservation" - Paul Revere & the Raiders (05/29/71)
• "I Think I Love You" - The Partridge Family (10/31/71)
• "Song Sung Blue" - Neil Diamond (05/13/72)
• "Half Breed" - Cher (09/01/73)
• "Annie's Song" - John Denver (06/15/74)
• "Top of the World" - The Carpenters (10/20/74)
• "The Way We Were" - Barbra Streisand (12/22/74)
• "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" - John Denver (04/05/75)
• "Love Will Keep Us Together" - Captain & Tennille (05/24/75)
• "I'm Sorry"/"Calypso" - John Denver (08/30/75)
• "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" - Diana Ross (01/22/76)

Discography

• 1966 Drums! Drums! A Go Go
• 1967 Psychedelic Percussion

Legacy

Hal Blaine's drums can be heard as part of the Wall of Sound on the Ronettes' 1963 #2 hit 'Be My Baby', produced by Phil Spector at Hollywood's Gold Star Studios. Max Weinberg wrote "If Hal Blaine had played drums only on the Ronettes' 'Be My Baby' his name would still be uttered with reverence and respect for the power of his big beat." Rolling Stone magazine listed the song as #22 on The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In March 2000, Hal Blaine was one of the first five sidemen inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (One of the other inductees was Hal's long-time friend and drumming colleague, Earl Palmer.)

Artists with whom Blaine has recorded

Some of the famous musicians with whom Blaine has worked include: Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, The Ronettes, Jan and Dean, The Mamas & the Papas, The Byrds, Johnny Rivers, Elkie Brooks, The Association, Sonny & Cher, The Grass Roots, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Neil Diamond, Simon & Garfunkel, John Denver, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Captain & Tennille, The Carpenters, Henry Mancini, Paul Revere & the Raiders, The 5th Dimension, The Supremes, Barbra Streisand, Nancy Sinatra, Diana Ross, Dean Martin, and The Partridge Family.

See also

• List of recordings of songs Hal Blaine has played on
• Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew

Notes

• Blaine, Hal with David Groggin, Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew, Mix Books, 1990
• Whitburn. Joel, Top 40 Hits, Billboard Publications, New York 1992

External links

• Official website
• Interview from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing Drums