Let The Drums Speak!: The Life Story Of The World's Most Recorded Drummer

by Bernard Purdie, Jack Hoban (Editor), Bob Porter (Foreword)

Biography of Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, the world's most recorded drummer. Bernard Pretty Purdie is arguably the most recorded drummer in the world. He hit the New York music scene in the early 1960 s, and landed his first hit with Mickey and Sylvia the beginning of a stellar career. This led to his 25-year association with Aretha Franklin. Purdie has been a regular guest in the studios of the stars of Jazz, Soul and Rock, working together with Lonnie Youngblood, King Curtis, Les Cooper, Paul Butterfield, Larry Coryell, Miles Davis, Hall & Oates, Al Kooper, Herbie Mann, Todd Rundgren and Cat Stevens, as well, as regularly producing his own solo albums. Who provided the backbeat for Steely Dan's "Aja ? And for whom have Isaac Hayes, Donny Hathaway, B.B. King, Joe Cocker, Jeff Beck and Alan Jackson reserved that stool behind the drum kit? Bernard Pretty Purdie. He has anchored sessions with the Rolling Stones, James Brown and Tom Jones with equal ease. The list is incomplete. It must be, because no other drummer in the last four decades has seen the interior of a recording studio as often as Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. BERNARD PURDIE was born June 11, 1942 in Elkton, Maryland, as the eleventh of fifteen children. As a six-year-old, he began banging out rhythms on improvised equipment. At 14 years of age he purchased his first real drum set and became the most important provider for the family – earning his pay playing with country and carnival bands. This "schooling" enabled Purdie to "feel my way into nearly every kind of music, 'cause I had to know all styles and was never afraid to try something new." After finishing high school and spending a year and a half at Morgan State, Purdie moved to New York City. And that’s where it all started. Purdie remains a sought after studio and live performer. He lives in New Jersey, but still travels domestically and internationally – a lot!"Drummer, musician, producer, arranger and musical director, Bernard Purdie can be proud of a discography of over 3,000 recordings. From his first recordings with King Curtis and Aretha Franklin to later sessions with Larry Coryell, Miles Davis, Hall & Oates, Al Kooper, Herbie Mann, Todd Rundgren, Steely Dan, Cat Stevens, BB King, James Brown, Isaac Hayes, the Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker and countless others, his definitive style has anchored sessions on some of the greatest songs of the modern era. His grooves have been sampled, cut and pasted on dance tracks and his groove is sought after in all genres of jazz, soul and funk. He is now a reference point in the basics of modern drumming with the innovation of the Purdie Shuffle, which was the inspiration behind Jeff Porcaro s Rosanna, a fusion of Purdie s Shuffle and John Bonham s 'Fool In The Rain.'" - From an interview by Mike Dolbea“As you read this, someone, somewhere in the world, is listening to a hit record that features the amazing drummer, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. His playing reflectshis magnetic personality and his passion for life. Purdie makes the magic happen, but without tricks.” – Jimmy "Wiz" Wisner“BB King said to ‘Coleman, have you ever heard the King Curtis recording Memphis Soul Stew? Well the drummer who plays that fatback groove is Bernard Purdie. So, if you groove me like he does, you and me gonna be just fine.’ And that is what I do when I play, I try to groove like my mentor and friend, Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie!” – Tony Coleman, B.B. King Band drummer

Genres: Biography, Amazon

229 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2014

Reviews

[Harold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it, especially after Bernard's arrival in NYC. I first saw him with King Curtis's band backing a show at the Paramount on Times Square. That had to be 1963. After that his name popped up more and more frequently as his studio career blossomed. I've met Bernard and have had the good fortune to do a couple of gigs with him. Great musician that was immediately comfortable to play with and talk with. A friendly conversationalist. The greatest controversy surrounding him was his claim to have overdubbed (in the early 60s) on over 20 tracks by The Beatles. He doesn't remember which tracks (He is a man who has played on more records than you can count). In the often complex world created by the ability to overdub, the lack of any paper trail, etc etc, the recording business is subject to strange things happening. So is it possible that Purdie did this? It is! Some producer may have gotten hold of early recordings, not liked the drums (rightly or wrongly)and thanks to overdubbing, put another drummer on. Which in turn was subject to later tampering. And in the end may not have gone anywhere. It's a complex business.
In any event, if your have interest in the NYC recording scene of that era (sadly pretty much defunct now)or in an inside view of the music business it's a good read.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bernard Purdie biography

This book is so much more than just another biography of a drummer. Purdie is unique as a person and as a drummer. Well worth reading.

[Larcenet · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a drummer, my rating would be 5 stars.
Why? Well, it is Bernard "pretty" Purdie! The man has a drumbeat named after him ( the purdie shuffle), you cant get any more famous than that, as a drummer.
If you are not a drummer, my rating would be 3 stars.
Why? Well, Mr.Purdie is not a writer and altough it is still interesting, it is not great story telling.
I would still recommend it though, hence the 4 stars, in general. But you at least need to be interested in music.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

We received an autographed copy of this at our daughter's wedding in October, 2014, from Bernard Purdy himself, who was at the drums in the band playing at the wedding reception! Not being into drummers, his was not a name I was familiar with. Apparently, Bernard Purdie is the "world's most recorded drummer", having performed and recorded with artists across the musical spectrum, such as Pearl Bailey, Tony Bennett, Claude Bolling, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillepsie, Nat "King" Cole, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin. Michael Jackson, and Willie Nelson, to name just a few.

Purdie's story begins with his boyhood in Maryland, taking us through his beginnings as a drummer for the local big band, to his big break in New York, and his subsequent success in recording studios & venues across the country. Except for his boyhood, very little is revealed about his personal life, but there is an abundance of anecdotes concerning his professional life and his contributions to music as it evolved in the 60's through the 70's. There are lots of pats on the back in this book for Mr. Purdie!

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Great drummer - shit book. Passed off as ghost-written autobiography but with not even the slightest attempt to get a 'voice' anywhere near Prudie's; bogged down with Wikipedia fluff and boring stories of upbringing and then the important stuff - all that music from "The World's Most Recorded Drummer" is glossed over. Insulting to the legacy. And just really bad writing too. Thoroughly disappointing.

[j_ay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly not written by Purdie himself, but seemly just a flushed out ghost text of the more informative and extensive reprint of an interview in the back of the book, it’s an overall very disappointing read. The most recorded session drummer in the business, hours and hours shoulder to shoulder with some of the greatest musicians of the 70s, and not one interesting anecdote?
Someone should sit down with Mr Purdie an intensive interview, that would make a book.