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Hal Blaine




  Img HalBlaine&the-WreckingCrewjpgthumb150pxrightHal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew
  Background drummer, session musician
  Birth Name Harold Simon Belsky
  Born <br> Holyoke, Massachusetts
  Instrument Drums
  Occupation session musician
  Years Active 1940s-present
  Associated Acts Elvis Presley , Beach Boys , Jan And Dean , The Mamas And The Papas , The Byrds , Johnny Rivers , Elkie Brooks , The Association , Sonny And 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 , 5th Dimension , Supremes , Barbra Streisand , Nancy Sinatra , Diana Ross , Jan & Dean , Dean Martin


Hal Blaine (b. '''Harold Simon Belsky''', February 5 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 , Simon & Garfunkel and The Beach Boys .



HAL BLAINE'S GRAMMY AWARDS

A somewhat unappreciated Grammy Awards record is held by Blaine who played on 6 consecutive Record Of The Year winners:


HAL BLAINE'S #1 HITS



ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME

Blaine is a member of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame . He lives in Los Angeles .


HAL BLAINE TRIVIA

In 1965 the Beach Boys and Dean Torrence of Jan And Dean recorded an off-the-cuff cover version of the Regents' 1950s hit song, ''Barbara Ann.'' It was released as a 45 rpm single and on the ''Beach Boys Party'' LP in 1965. During the hectic instrumental break, one of the singers can be heard shouting off-mike, "It's Hal and His Famous Ashtrays!". This is a reference to Blaine, who was playing Percussion at the session, and who accompanied this improvised song by drumming on a pair of overturned glass ashtrays.

The Beach Boys' drummer, Dennis Wilson , rarely played on Beach Boys records, letting Hal Blaine do most of the studio work. In fact, when Dennis made his own solo album, '' Pacific Ocean Blue '' he hired Blaine to play the drums. Blaine said, "I made $50 an hour playing Beach Boys songs in the studio- Dennis made $50,000 a week playing them in concert."


REFERENCES

  • 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