​R.I.P. Wrecking Crew Drummer Hal Blaine

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Mar 12, 2019

Hal Blaine, best known for his work with the Wrecking Crew, has passed away at the age of 90 from natural causes.
 
Blaine began drumming in Chicago strip clubs, eventually joining Count Basie's big band and touring with Patti Page and Tommy Sands.
 
As a session drummer with the Wrecking Crew (which essentially began as a house band for Phil Spector), Blaine recorded prolifically throughout the 1960s and '70s, appearing on thousands of records.
 
Blaine popularized the group's name in his 1990 memoir, though the Wrecking Crew also went by names like the Clique and the First Call Gang, according to other members.
 
Hits that Blaine's drumming appears on include the Ronettes' "Be My Baby," Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson," the Mamas and the Papas' "Monday Monday," the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man," Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" and the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations."
 
It's estimated that he appeared on 35,000 recordings total, including 6,000 singles.
 
The Wrecking Crew was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007 and were launched back into the spotlight with a 2008 documentary simply called The Wrecking Crew.
 
Blaine himself was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a "sideman" in 2000 and was presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
 
See some of the tributes from his famous friends, collaborators and admirers below.
 
 
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