Earl Palmer, one of the most renowned session drummers ever, died at the age of 84 on September 19, 2008. Palmer died Friday at his Los Angeles home after fighting a lengthy illness. Born in New Orleans in 1924 and later moving to Los Angeles, Palmer worked extensively in both cities, recording with some of the music world\'s all-time greats on thousands of tracks.
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His pioneering backbeats can be heard on famous hits as:
Tutti Frutti - Little Richard
You\'ve Lost That Lovin\' Feelin - The Righteous Brothers
River Deep, Mountain High - Ike and Tina Turner
The Fat Man - Fats Domino
I Hear You Knockin - Smiley Lewis
Flintstones Theme Song
Palmer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. According to the institution\'s Web site, Little Richard wrote in his autobiography that Palmer \"is probably the greatest session drummer of all time.\"
Palmer left New Orleans for Hollywood in 1957. His career as a session drummer included work with Frank Sinatra, Phil Spector, Rick Nelson, Ray Charles, Eddie Cochran, Ritchie Valens, as well as jazz sessions with Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie, and appearing on blues recordings with B. B. King.
From his Los Angeles home, Palmer drummed for music producer Phil Spector and Motown, and his session credits include artists as the Monkees, Neil Young, Frank Sinatra, Bonnie Raitt and even Ringo Starr.
In 1982, Palmer was elected treasurer of the Local 47 of the American Federation of Musicians. He served until he was defeated in 1984 and was re-elected in 1990. Palmer married four times and is survived by his seven children.
Recommended reading Backbeat: Earl Palmer\'s Story, by Tony Scherman, Da Capo Press, 1999, ISBN 0-306-80980-X.