Died On This Date (September 19, 2008) Earl Palmer / Legendary Session Drummer
themusicsover Earl Palmer
October 25, 1924 – September 19, 2008
Earl Palmer was a session drummer with a resume that reads like a who’s who of popular music. He has been called the “most recorded drummer in history.” Over a career that spanned over 50 years, Palmer played on hit recordings by the likes of Little Richard, Fats Domino, Frank Sinatra, Rick Nelson, Ray Charles, the Beach Boys, Neil Young, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, B.B. King, Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and many many more. Palmer was recognized for his incomparable contribution to rock ‘n roll by being the first session musician elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Earl Palmer passed away in 2008 at the age of 83.
Pepsi Tate was best known as the bassist for Welsh glam metal band, Tigertailz. The band caught some attention in the 90s, due in part to their loyal cult following, and frankly a more “real” approach to glam metal than most of the fabricated bands of the day. Though heavily made up, they leaned more Motley Crue than Poison. But just as the band started to make some noise outside Europe, grunge came to town, and almost over night, their music career was over. Fortunately Tate had something to fall back on and found a successful career as a television producer, helming the successful BBC Wales political program, Dragon’s Eye. The band reformed in 2005, releasing a new album and performing at a few festivals throughout Europe. Tate was soon diagnosed with pancreatic cancer of which he died at the age of 42.
Rob Tyner was the lead singer of Detroit garage rock band, the MC5 who were a heavy influence on the punk movement to soon follow. More than just another loud blues-rock band, the MC5 were endeared by fans for their anti-establishment lyrics. The band’s use of itself as a political voice inspired future generations to do the same. Later bands like the Clash and Rage Against the Machine have cited them as an influence for doing just that. The MC5’s “Kick Out The Jams” is one of the era’s most covered songs by countless young garage bands to follow. Even Tyner’s spirited “Kick out the jams motherfucker!” intro that he spontaneously shouted on a live recording is often repeated on cover versions. The MC5 broke up in 1972 and Tyner formed another band or two but was never able to get much going commercial. He did however, build himself a nice reputation as a manager, producer and concert promoter in the Detroit area. On September 17, 1991, Rob Tyner, according to his New York Times obituary, died in a Royal Oak, Michigan hospital after suffering a heart attack while driving near his home. He was 46. MC5 band mates 
Marc Bolan was a British rock singer songwriter and musician who, with his band T. Rex was one of the foundations of the glam rock movement that followed. Bolan formed his first band when he was barely into his teens, and by 17, he was making a go of it along the British folk circuit. In 1967, he joined a mod band called John’s Children who achieved moderate success throughout the UK. Later that year, he left the group and joined forces with 