Al Jackson, Jr. was a member of Booker T and The MGs. He appeared on many recordings made at STAX studios. These drums are the ones heard on "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding. A leaky roof could not keep these drums from helping to make musical history.
Al Jackson, Jr. was the excellent drummer who kept Booker T. & the MG's in line, both on their own recordings as well as on dozens of sessions for artists contracted to Hi and Stax Records. Born in Memphis in 1934, he came up with producer Willie Mitchell at the Hi label and played on dozens of hits by Al Green and Ann Peebles, among others. Keyboard player Booker T. Jones, who had played in Mitchell's band as well, considered Jackson the best drummer in Memphis. In 1962, he persuaded Jackson to join Stax Records, where the pair joined guitarist Steve Cropper and (later) bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn to form Booker T. & the MG's, arguably the best house band in history. The group played on virtually every recording by Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla and Rufus Thomas, Eddie Floyd, and William Bell during the mid- to late '60s. Booker T. & the MG's were hitmakers as well, thanks to instrumental tracks like "Green Onions," "Hip Hug-Her," "Hang 'Em High," and "Time Is Tight."
By 1971, however, popularity drove the group apart as both Cropper and Jones spent much time away from Memphis. During the early '70s, Jackson spent time working as both a session drummer and producer, appearing on albums by Eric Clapton, Donny Hathaway, Freddie King, Herbie Mann, the Soul Children, Shirley Brown, and Rance Allen. In 1975, Booker T. & the MG's re-formed and began recording a reunion album. Later that year, however, Jackson was tragically shot and killed in his home; reports conflict on whether the culprit was a burglar or his wife. -all music-
The drum set owned by Kenny Buttrey. Kenny played on sessions by Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Jimmy Buffet to name a few. These drums are pictured on the back of "Harvest" by Neil Young.
The driving rhythmic force behind some of the most innovative and influential records in popular music history, Nashville drummer Kenny Buttrey was born in Music City on April 1, 1945. By 14, he was already playing professionally, eventually joining fellow Nashville session legend Charlie McCoy in his band the Escorts. McCoy's patronage helped Buttrey earn his first studio gigs, and he soon scored his first notable credit backing Arthur Alexander on his 1962 R&B classic "Anna (Go to Him)." Perhaps his most significant work appears on Bob Dylan's landmark 1966 effort Blonde on Blonde -- Buttrey's drumming is sublime, moving seamlessly from the woozy, march-like opener "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" to the nuanced beauty of "Visions of Johanna." He would also collaborate with Dylan on the classics John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline, which together pointed the way toward a true fusion of country and rock & roll, a path that much of Buttrey's most significant work would follow.
In 1969 he co-founded Area Code 615, an instrumental unit also featuring session luminaries including McCoy, fiddler Buddy Spicher, and steel guitarist Weldon Myrick. Though neither of their LPs enjoyed significant commercial success, the group's self-titled debut and its 1970 follow-up, Trip in the Country, remain notable for their flawless musicianship. The former also yielded "Stone Fox Chase," the longtime theme song for the BBC's The Old Grey Whistle Test. In 1970 Buttrey inaugurated a long and fruitful partnership with Neil Young, beginning with the classic After the Gold Rush and resuming two years later with the chart-topping Harvest. For a short time, he also served as a member of Young's then-touring band the Stray Gators, and also appeared on the classic Tonight's the Night. Buttrey and McCoy reunited in 1974 in the Southern rock combo Barefoot Jerry, scoring the hit "Boogie Woogie," and three years later the drummer appeared on Jimmy Buffett's Changes in Attitudes, Changes in Latitudes, contributing to the singer's signature hit, "Margaritaville." After a long bout with cancer, Buttrey died on September 12, 2004
notes; text is all from the web. also the pictured jackson kit i am pretty sure was not involved with the al green sessions. (although possible)
kristofferson as cowbell stand?? good stuff.
and this;
From another forum, T. Manning's words:
"The "Funky Memphis" drum sound was probably several things. As far as the drums actually recorded in Stax, of course the biggest part of the sound would have been Al Jackson, Jr., or in some cases, Willie Hall ("second string drummer from The Bar-Kays, later with The Blues Brothers). Secondly, the drums of course were important. Al used a Rogers kit mostly, and a Ludwig 400 snare.
At Hi Studio, where they did Al Green and some other great ones, the drummer was....Al Jackson again! The setup was somewhat similar, although the console distorted quite a bit, and there was always a conga player playing along (Howard Grimes), "doubling" the bass drum and snare, and playing fours and eights. This is what gave the Al Green drums the sound of a "tom-like thing" on the snare. The drums there were not in a booth, but were pretty well surrounded by tall, dead baffles.
The drums, esp snare, were tuned pretty low, and were quite deadened. We almost always put the drummer's wallet on the snare drum. It would "jump up" when the drum was struck, providing a little "sound," and then fall right back down (gravity, I think!), deadening it again so that the ring was not very long at all. Rarely were toms hit. Almost everything was the bass drum, snare and hat (which wasn't mic'd)
Al Jackson, Jr. was the excellent drummer who kept Booker T. & the MG's in line, both on their own recordings as well as on dozens of sessions for artists contracted to Hi and Stax Records. Born in Memphis in 1934, he came up with producer Willie Mitchell at the Hi label and played on dozens of hits by Al Green and Ann Peebles, among others. Keyboard player Booker T. Jones, who had played in Mitchell's band as well, considered Jackson the best drummer in Memphis. In 1962, he persuaded Jackson to join Stax Records, where the pair joined guitarist Steve Cropper and (later) bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn to form Booker T. & the MG's, arguably the best house band in history. The group played on virtually every recording by Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla and Rufus Thomas, Eddie Floyd, and William Bell during the mid- to late '60s. Booker T. & the MG's were hitmakers as well, thanks to instrumental tracks like "Green Onions," "Hip Hug-Her," "Hang 'Em High," and "Time Is Tight."
By 1971, however, popularity drove the group apart as both Cropper and Jones spent much time away from Memphis. During the early '70s, Jackson spent time working as both a session drummer and producer, appearing on albums by Eric Clapton, Donny Hathaway, Freddie King, Herbie Mann, the Soul Children, Shirley Brown, and Rance Allen. In 1975, Booker T. & the MG's re-formed and began recording a reunion album. Later that year, however, Jackson was tragically shot and killed in his home; reports conflict on whether the culprit was a burglar or his wife. -all music-
The drum set owned by Kenny Buttrey. Kenny played on sessions by Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Jimmy Buffet to name a few. These drums are pictured on the back of "Harvest" by Neil Young.
The driving rhythmic force behind some of the most innovative and influential records in popular music history, Nashville drummer Kenny Buttrey was born in Music City on April 1, 1945. By 14, he was already playing professionally, eventually joining fellow Nashville session legend Charlie McCoy in his band the Escorts. McCoy's patronage helped Buttrey earn his first studio gigs, and he soon scored his first notable credit backing Arthur Alexander on his 1962 R&B classic "Anna (Go to Him)." Perhaps his most significant work appears on Bob Dylan's landmark 1966 effort Blonde on Blonde -- Buttrey's drumming is sublime, moving seamlessly from the woozy, march-like opener "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" to the nuanced beauty of "Visions of Johanna." He would also collaborate with Dylan on the classics John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline, which together pointed the way toward a true fusion of country and rock & roll, a path that much of Buttrey's most significant work would follow.
In 1969 he co-founded Area Code 615, an instrumental unit also featuring session luminaries including McCoy, fiddler Buddy Spicher, and steel guitarist Weldon Myrick. Though neither of their LPs enjoyed significant commercial success, the group's self-titled debut and its 1970 follow-up, Trip in the Country, remain notable for their flawless musicianship. The former also yielded "Stone Fox Chase," the longtime theme song for the BBC's The Old Grey Whistle Test. In 1970 Buttrey inaugurated a long and fruitful partnership with Neil Young, beginning with the classic After the Gold Rush and resuming two years later with the chart-topping Harvest. For a short time, he also served as a member of Young's then-touring band the Stray Gators, and also appeared on the classic Tonight's the Night. Buttrey and McCoy reunited in 1974 in the Southern rock combo Barefoot Jerry, scoring the hit "Boogie Woogie," and three years later the drummer appeared on Jimmy Buffett's Changes in Attitudes, Changes in Latitudes, contributing to the singer's signature hit, "Margaritaville." After a long bout with cancer, Buttrey died on September 12, 2004
notes; text is all from the web. also the pictured jackson kit i am pretty sure was not involved with the al green sessions. (although possible)
kristofferson as cowbell stand?? good stuff.
and this;
From another forum, T. Manning's words:
"The "Funky Memphis" drum sound was probably several things. As far as the drums actually recorded in Stax, of course the biggest part of the sound would have been Al Jackson, Jr., or in some cases, Willie Hall ("second string drummer from The Bar-Kays, later with The Blues Brothers). Secondly, the drums of course were important. Al used a Rogers kit mostly, and a Ludwig 400 snare.
At Hi Studio, where they did Al Green and some other great ones, the drummer was....Al Jackson again! The setup was somewhat similar, although the console distorted quite a bit, and there was always a conga player playing along (Howard Grimes), "doubling" the bass drum and snare, and playing fours and eights. This is what gave the Al Green drums the sound of a "tom-like thing" on the snare. The drums there were not in a booth, but were pretty well surrounded by tall, dead baffles.
The drums, esp snare, were tuned pretty low, and were quite deadened. We almost always put the drummer's wallet on the snare drum. It would "jump up" when the drum was struck, providing a little "sound," and then fall right back down (gravity, I think!), deadening it again so that the ring was not very long at all. Rarely were toms hit. Almost everything was the bass drum, snare and hat (which wasn't mic'd)
