Steve Ferrone | |
|---|---|
 Ferrone in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 25 April 1950 |
| Origin | Brighton, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Drums |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Website | steveferrone |
Steve Ferrone (born 25 April 1950)[1][2] is an English drummer. He is known as a member of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from 1994 to 2017, replacing original drummer Stan Lynch, and as part of the "classic lineup" of the Average White Band in the 1970s. Ferrone has recorded and performed with Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Duran Duran, Stevie Nicks, Laura Pausini, Christine McVie, Rick James, Slash, Chaka Khan, Bee Gees, Scritti Politti, Aerosmith, Al Jarreau, Mick Jagger, Johnny Cash, Todd Rundgren and Pat Metheny. Ferrone also hosts The New Guy weekly radio show on Sirius Xm's Tom Petty Radio.
Ferrone played with the band Bloodstone, appearing on their 1975 album Riddle of the Sphinx. He then began playing with Brian Auger's band Oblivion Express, which had previously featured drummer Robbie McIntosh.
McIntosh later joined the Average White Band, but just after releasing their first number-one album, he died of a heroin overdose. Ferrone was asked to join AWB in his place and stayed with them for the next eight years, recording and playing concert tours to support several hit albums, until AWB broke up in 1982.[citation needed]
Since appearing on Chaka Khan's 1978 debut album, Ferrone went on to play on most of her subsequent albums in the 80s, including "Naughty" with former AWB band member Hamish Stuart. In 1985, Ferrone joined the Saturday Night Live house band and was there for the 1985–86 season.[3] He contributed as session drummer for Duran Duran on the Notorious, Big Thing, Duran Duran, and Thank You albums. He also toured with Duran Duran on the Strange Behaviour Tour in support of Notorious. He also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton from 1986 to 1992. During rehearsals in London for the George Harrison tour, he played drums for Duran Duran at Abbey Road Studios and recorded "Ordinary World."[3] In 1991, Ferrone played drums on the George Harrison tour in Japan including three nights at the Tokyo Dome.[3]
Ferrone met guitarist Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers when the two played a show with George Harrison as part of his Hara and the Hijack band at Royal Albert Hall.[citation needed] He became the band's full-time drummer after the departure of original drummer Stan Lynch in 1994. Ferrone's first album with the band was Tom Petty's second solo outing Wildflowers, released that same year. His first live performance as a member of the Heartbreakers was in Louisville, Kentucky on 28 February 1995.
In November 2002, Ferrone set up Drumroll Studios in Burbank, California with financial advisor Alan Arora and the technical expertise of producer John Jones, with whom he had worked since Duran Duran's "Ordinary World" in 1992.[citation needed] Later, they were joined by guitarist and producer Steve Postell. Together they recorded and produced albums and tracks for a variety of musical acts, as well as film and TV scores.
Ferrone released a live solo album titled It Up: Steve Ferrone and Friends Live at La Ve Lee in 2003.
In 2007, he played drums on the self-titled debut album by The Black and White Years, produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads.
In 2010, Ferrone played on the eponymous first solo album by Slash, and joined the Italian band Pooh. He also worked on a collaborative project with composer and musician Eric Alexandrakis, guitarist and composer Warren Cuccurullo, and producer and songwriter Anthony J. Resta. Explaining the purpose of that project in a Modern Drummer news release, Alexandrakis said, "The four of us decided to create a scoring collective to pursue scoring projects in TV themes, film and advertising."[4][5] In August 2018, he was announced as drummer for Dire Straits Legacy prior to their first US tour, consisting of 10 dates.[6]
In 2019, Ferrone recorded session drums for Stroke 9's studio album, Calafrio.[7]
On 10 July 2019, Ferrone was inducted into the Brighton Music Walk of Fame in his hometown of Brighton, England.[8]
