Drummer and member of the “Wrecking Crew," Hal Blaine died Monday at the age of 90, according to a statement from family members on his official Facebook page.
Blaine was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a sideman in 2000 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2018.
He was born Harold Simon Belsky in Holyoke, MA, on Feb. 5, 1929. His family moved to California in 1943. He studied with Roy Knapp, the teacher of Benny Goodman’s famed drummer Gene Krupa. He was active as a working musician for years, playing with Count Basie’s big band and behind such pop talents as vocalists Patti Page and Tommy Sands, before breaking into session work.
Blaine became the regular drummer on Spector’s fabled early ‘60s sessions at Gold Star, backing such hit-making acts as the Ronettes, the Crystals, Bobb B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans and Darlene Love.
Blaine was married and divorced five times. His survivors include daughter Michelle.
