RIP HAL BLAINE — (1929-2019)

[Admin]

HAL BLAINE — Legendary drummer and Wrecking Crew member Hal Blaine has passed away at age 90. He was one of the most popular, and most recorded, drummers of all time. What a legacy, and what a life. This one hits close to home. Hal—along with the great Earl Palmer—played on most of Jan Berry’s sessions for Jan & Dean in the ‘60s. He also served as contractor for Jan’s sessions, and had a role—both speaking and playing—in Jan & Dean’s 1966 television pilot “On the Run.” Hal and Jan were close personal friends who socialized together outside of the studio. Hal was 12 years his senior and very much like an older brother to Jan. Hal was devastated by Jan’s 1966 life-changing automobile accident. He spent a lot of time at Jan’s bedside, and played on all of Jan’s post-accident recordings, beginning with the first “Carnival of Sound” related sessions in 1967. I am grateful that I got a chance to interview Hal. He was always gracious and loved to talk about his time with Jan, and Jan’s influence on his career. Hal called me after receiving a copy of my book The Jan & Dean Record, and I was truly thankful for his enthusiastic support of the project. Thanks for the music, Hal. Rest easy, my friend. You had a long and productive life, and we are all the richer for it. “Here we go . . . Top, fellas!” – Mark A. Moore, Author of The Jan & Dean Record

[Admin]

Hal Blaine Tribute Video Courtesy of Denny Tedesco, Director of the Documentary Film The Wrecking Crew:

https://www.facebook.com/WreckingCrewFilm/videos/2582311905116548/

[rockngrann]

Thanks, Mark, for keeping us posted with the latest news. This was very sad news.

Do you know how many of the Jan & Dean songs did Hal play on?  Gee, this would probably be a good time to get out the book again.  Getting old just isn't the fun it was several years ago... I keep forgetting things I'd like to remember.    I've put the book on the kitchen table, will start going thru it again. I did see that there are a lot of listings under Hal Blaine's name. Think I counted 80 listings under "sessions" alone.

Thanks for all you do, Mark.

[surferbee]

Hal was such a significant figure in sixties music and reading his book as well as Mark's confirms the importance of Jan in using him at as the heartbeat of Jan and Dean records. This opened the door to Hal for so much more including the Beach Boys.
I emailed Hal a few years back and he had the good grace to reply telling me about how Jan would double him with Earl.
Hal seems to have been a really nice guy and his drumming was exceptional. As Jan called him: "The world's most famous drummer!"

RIP

[Surfermike]

Another one of the greats is gone. I remember being 9 years old and looking at the back cover of the Command Performance album and reading orchestra conducted by Hal Blaine. Thanks for being there for Jan & Dean as well as all those other great musicians. Your music will live on forever.

[1Jay1]

Its another great loss to the music world, i heard due to technology hal didnt drum in the 80s very much, why didnt jan and dean use hal for live work,and give him a living, and other artist whose tracks he played on.