Roger Hawkins
Hawkins in 1980
Background information
Born(1945-10-16)October 16, 1945
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
DiedMay 20, 2021(2021-05-20) (aged 75)
Sheffield, Alabama, United States
GenresSoul, R&B, Rock
Occupation(s)Session musician
Instrument(s)Drums, percussion

Roger G. Hawkins (October 16, 1945 – May 20, 2021)[1] was an American drummer best known for playing as part of the studio backing band known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (also known as the Swampers)[2] of Alabama. Rolling Stone ranked Hawkins number 31 on its list of greatest drummers.[3]

Biography

Hawkins's drumming can be heard on dozens of hit singles, including tracks by Percy Sledge ("When a Man Loves a Woman"), Aretha Franklin ("Respect", "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" etc.), Wilson Pickett ("Mustang Sally", "Land of 1000 Dances"), The Staple Singers, Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Womack, Clarence Carter,[4][5] Etta James, Duane Allman, Joe Cocker, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, Bonnie Bramlett, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Boz Scaggs, Albert King, Traffic, Rod Stewart, Dan Penn, Lulu, and Willie Nelson. He also recorded with Eric Clapton in the early 80's.

"Playing with the same guys for so long, well, it's really hard to impress Barry, David or Jimmy because they've heard me do it before. And it's the same with them. I mean, if Barry plays a hot lick, I don't congratulate him; he's supposed to do that. I don't know what it is, but when the four of us sit down to play, it's almost like a burden has been lifted from our shoulders. It's like, "Hey, we're home."[6]

— Roger Hawkins

Hawkins died at age 75 at his home in Sheffield, Alabama.[7] Hawkins had suffered from numerous health problems including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.[1]

Top 40 US hits

Artist Song title US charts highest charting date Miscellaneous
Percy Sledge When a Man Loves a Woman #1 April 30, 1966
Wilson Pickett Land of a 1000 Dances #6 August 13, 1966
James & Bobby Purify I'm Your Puppet #6 October 22, 1966
Wilson Pickett Mustang Sally #22 December 10, 1966
Etta James Tell Mama #23 December 30, 1967
Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) #9 March 18, 1967
Aretha Franklin Respect #1 May 6, 1967
Aretha Franklin Chain of Fools #2 December 16, 1967
Aretha Franklin Since You've Been Gone #5 March 2, 1968
Percy Sledge Take Time to Know Her #11 April 6, 1968
Aretha Franklin[8] Think #7 May 25, 1968
Clarence Carter Slip Away #6 August 17, 1968
Wilson Pickett Hey Jude #23 January 4, 1969 Duane Allman, guitar
R.B. Greaves Take a Letter Maria #2 October 25, 1969
The Staple Singers Heavy Makes You Happy #27 March 20, 1971
The Staple Singers Respect Yourself #12 November 13, 1971
The Staple Singers I'll Take You There #1 April 15, 1972
Mel & Tim Starting All Over Again #19 September 16, 1972
Paul Simon Kodachrome #2 June 2, 1973
Paul Simon Loves Me Like a Rock #2 August 18, 1973 vocals by the Dixie Hummingbirds
Paul Simon Still Crazy After All These Years #40 December 6th, 1975
Bob Seger Mainstreet #24 May 4, 1977 Silver Bullet Band
Bob Seger We've Got Tonight #13 November 25, 1978 Silver Bullet Band
Bob Seger Old Time Rock & Roll #28 May 5, 1979 Silver Bullet Band

Collaborations

With Alabama

With Paul Anka

With Patti Austin

With Joan Baez

With William Bell

With Bobby Bland

With Bonnie Bramlett

With Dee Dee Bridgewater

With Dianne Brooks

With Shirley Brown

With Peabo Bryson

With Jimmy Buffett

With Solomon Burke

With Billy Burnette

With J. J. Cale

With Kim Carnes

With Clarence Carter

With Beth Nielsen Chapman

With Cher

With Eric Clapton

With Jimmy Cliff

With Joe Cocker

With Ry Cooder

With Steve Cropper

With Gail Davies

With Mink DeVille

With Willy DeVille

With José Feliciano

With Eddie Floyd

With Aretha Franklin

With Glenn Frey

With Art Garfunkel

With Barry Goldberg

With James Govan

With John P. Hammond

With Ronnie Hawkins

With Levon Helm

With Loleatta Holloway

With Etta James

With Margie Joseph

With Nick Kamen

With Albert King

With Julian Lennon

With Lulu

With Mac McAnally

With Mary MacGregor

With Lonnie Mack

With Delbert McClinton

With Frankie Miller

With Ronnie Milsap

With Jackie Moore

With Willie Nelson

With Laura Nyro

With The Oak Ridge Boys

With Odetta

With Danny O'Keefe

With Dan Penn

With Wilson Pickett

With Don Preston

With Primal Scream

With Eddie Rabbitt

With Helen Reddy

With Little Richard

With Johnny Rivers

With Linda Ronstadt

With Billy Joe Royal

With Calvin Russell

With Leon Russell

With Boz Scaggs

With Bob Seger

With Paul Simon

With Mavis Staples

With Candi Staton

With Cat Stevens

With B. W. Stevenson

With Rod Stewart

With Billy Swan

With Keith Sykes

With Alex Taylor

With Kate Taylor

With Traffic

With Vaya Con Dios

With Wendy Waldman

With Tony Joe White

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b Wake, Matt (May 20, 2021). "Swampers drummer, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio cofounder Roger Hawkins has died". al.com. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  2. ^ "Roger Hawkins: The Pulse of Muscle Shoals | Modern Drummer Magazine". www.moderndrummer.com. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  3. ^ "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time". Rolling Stone. 31 March 2016.
  4. ^ Jones, Roben (2010). Memphis Boys: the story of American Studios. Jackson MS: University Press of Mississippi. pp. 159–160. ISBN 9781604734010.
  5. ^ Poe, Randy (2006). Skydog: the Duane Allman story. Milwaukee WI: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-6171-3487-6.
  6. ^ Weinberg, Max (2004). The Big Beat: Conversations with Rock's Greatest Drummers. Hudson Music. p. 58. ISBN 978-0634082757.
  7. ^ Fu, Eddie (May 21, 2021). "R.I.P. Roger Hawkins, Muscle Shoals Drummer on Aretha Franklin and Percy Sledge Hits Dead at 75". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  8. ^ Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings (box set liner notes). Aretha Franklin. Atlantic Records. 1992.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

External links

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