John Blackwell senior, father of Prince drummer John Blackwell, was born on August 14, 1949, to Ernest and Pauline Blackwell in Manning, South Carolina. He was raised in a musical family of eight brothers and sisters, all of whom were drummers and singers.



He got his nick name "Pocket Man" by some of the R&B acts he played with in his hometown in South Carolina because of his strong groove and powerful approach to his drumming. John Sr: "Back when I was growing up, money was tight. I taught myself to drum by playing on boxes until I could afford a real drumset. Eventually I had my own group, The Mellowtones, and from time to time I would sit in on gigs with The Drifters, Joe Simon, J.J. Jackson, and Mary Wells."



John Blackwell sr. was well respected in the drumming community and always surrounded himself with great musicians, many of whom became close friends, including the late, great drummer Yogi Horton.



The artists John Blackwell sr. performed with include the Drifters, King Curtis, Joe Simon, J.J. Jackson, Joe Tex, Mary Wells, Cornelius Crawford, and the Mighty Mellow Tones, a New York City house-band rhythm section who backed many groups in the recording studio.



John Blackwell Sr. passed away on November 13, 2010, from complications caused by a stroke.