Hal Blaine
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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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, Simon & Garfunkel, The Carpenters and the Beach Boys. Blaine is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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";
- 5th Dimension in 1968 for "Up, Up and Away";
- Simon & Garfunkel in 1969 for "Mrs. Robinson";
- 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" - Association (06/03/67)
- "Mrs. Robinson" - Simon & Garfunkel (05/04/68)
- "Dizzy" - Tommy Roe (03/15/69)
- "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" - 5th Dimension (04/12/69)
- "Love Theme - Romeo & Juliet" - Henry Mancini (05/24/69)
- "Wedding Bell Blues" - 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 (11/22/76)
Additional facts
Blaine recorded an all-instrumental album in the 1960s entitled Psychedelic Percussion. Its 12 tracks each represented one month of the year.
In 1965 the Beach Boys and Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean recorded an off-the-cuff cover version of The Regents' 1961 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.
Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson let Hal Blaine do a large amount of the drumming on Beach Boys recordings. Wilson even hired Blaine to play the drums on a few tracks on his own solo album - a record on which Wilson primarily played the piano. 'I made $50 an hour playing Beach Boys songs in the studio - Dennis made $50,000 a week playing them in concert', said Blaine.
