by Jeffrey M. Ellinport originally appearing in Volume 9, Number 11 (November '99 issue)
What do Mel Torme and Keith Moon have in common? They were both drummers. Very different styles to be sure, but no matter what type of music they play, drummers are musicians, too. Whether rock, jazz or swing, top drummers in any style take their instrument just as seriously as any piano or violin virtuoso. Mastering the drums takes just as much musical talent as any other instrument and, perhaps, more physical ability.
From a collectible point of view, drummers make interesting autograph subjects. In addition to their desirability as solo musicians, they are very often an integral part of a musical group. Therefore, to complete an autograph collection of a particular rock group, you need to have the drummer. There is no doubt that drummers play an important musical role, driving the beat and keeping time. Throughout this century, drummers have made significant contributions to the development of various styles of music. In addition, many famous drummers, like the bands in which they played, have an interesting and colorful history.
Buddy Rich
A child prodigy, Bernard "Buddy" Rich (1917-1987) had already played with several of the most famous swing bands of the Big Band era - including Harry James, Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey - by the time he was in his 20s. In addition to his amazing ability Rich, like his contemporary Frank Sinatra, was famous for having a very short temper. In fact, Rich and Sinatra often clashed during their stint together with Tommy Dorsey.
Despite his short fuse, Rich is widely regarded as the best drummer of all time. His phenomenal dexterity and incredible speed are unmatched to this day. He once performed on stage with only one hand (the other was in a cast) without noticeably diminishing his performance. Rich was instrumental in bringing the drummer out from behind the scenes and into the spotlight. No collection of jazz greats would be complete without a signed 8x10 showing Rich behind the drums. While not common, they are available in the $150-$175 range.
Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa is a must for any drummer autograph collection. Through his work with Benny Goodman in the mid-1930s Krupa, like Rich, was one of the first musicians to make the drummer a highly visible member of the band. With the rising popularity of Goodman, Krupa also became a household name. Fans loved Krupa's movie-star good looks and animated playing style.
Following a quarrel with Goodman in 1938, Krupa quit to form his own band, which quickly became one of the best of the swing era. Not unlike some of today's musicians, Krupa was arrested on drug charges (marijuana) in the 1940s, but continued to play with Tommy Dorsey, among others, and even operated a drum school with fellow percussionist "Cozy" Cole. A Krupa signed 8x10 is a cornerstone of any collection of drummers, and generally sells in the $100-$125 range.
Lionel Hampton
The multi-talented Hampton is probably best known as a vibraphone player. The vibraphone is similar to the marimba and xylophone, instruments that produce musical chords when struck with mallets. In the late 1930s Hampton played with the Benny Goodman Quartet and later with Goodman's big band, taking over on drums after Gene Krupa's departure in 1938.
Throughout his career Hampton also played the piano, sang, and led his own big bands, although he truly left his mark on jazz through his work on the vibraphone. Hampton's autograph can be found for about $35-$50.
Ringo Starr
Born Richard Starkey, Ringo is best known as a member of the Beatles, which he joined in 1962 as a replacement for the group's then-drummer, Pete Best. Although he was perhaps the least musically-talented of the Fab Four, Ringo's straightforward and solid approach provided an excellent complement to his partners.
Ringo, a name derived from his favorite jewelry, eventually developed his own style with vocals on songs such as Yellow Submarine, which sold over a million copies in 1966. More recently, after serious bouts with alcoholism and illness, Ringo toured in 1989 with his All-Starr Band, which included such talented musicians as Joe Walsh and Billy Preston.
Ringo's autograph, like those of his former Beatles partners, is in great demand and not very common. Given the fact that his signature is required to assemble a complete collection of Beatles' signatures, Ringo's autograph is extremely desirable. A signed 8x10 sells in the $195-$225 range.
As an interesting and popular footnote to the group's history, Pete Best is also a fun and sought-after drummer autograph. Given the enormous success of the Beatles, any memorabilia associated with them is highly desirable. As a result, no drummer collection would be complete without Best's autograph. An early signed 8x10 showing Best with the other Beatles sells in the $50-$75 range.
Louie (Louis) Bellson
Born Louis Balassoni in 1924, Bellson won a Gene Krupa talent contest at the age of 16. He worked with the big bands of Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and Harry James, then joined Duke Ellington in 1951 when he was only 27.
During his career, Bellson also accompanied jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. He was married to singer Pearl Bailey, whom he frequently accompanied on stage. One of the most technically accomplished jazz drummers, Bellson was instrumental in popularizing the double bass drum setup used by many rock drummers today. Generous with his time, Bellson has been kind to autograph collectors over the years. A signed 8x10 is valued at $35-$50.
Keith Moon
One of rock 'n' roll's most unpredictable drummers and greatest characters, Moon backed super group the Who until his death in 1978. Despite his untamed drumming technique and unconventional rhythm, Moon actually was a longtime fan of the more mellow surf music played by the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean.
Increasingly debilitated by drugs and alcohol, Moon's professional life suffered, and he died at the young age of 31. Many compare him to Jimi Hendrix as a genius on his instrument, but ultimately self-destructive in his personal life. The Who has a completely different sound without him. Townshend once said that when Moon died in 1978, the Who died also.
Just as Ringo Starr's signature is necessary to complete a Beatles collection, so too is Moon's autograph required to complete a collection of the original Who. However, finding it is fairly difficult, with a signature selling in the $150-$200 range.
There are many other vintage drummers worth collecting, like Max Roach - who played with jazz greats Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins and Miles Davis - and Chick Webb, who is widely recognized as the first of the great swing era drummers. Famous Latin percussionists such as Tito Puente (Timbales) and master Pancho Sanchez (conga drums)who has a signature series of congas produced by REMO drums (as does up-and-coming world percussionist Layne Redmond) are also fun autographs to collect.
Among the more mainstream and contemporary performers, there are dozens of talented and interesting artists. Think of the all the successful rock groups, jazz, swing, Latin and other ensembles on the music charts over the last few decades. Each has (or had) an accomplished drummer propelling its sound.
These include Liberty DeVitto, longtime drummer for Billy Joel, Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones, Neil Pert from Rush, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd and Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac. There are also colorful characters like 1970s superstar Peter Criss of Kiss and heavy metal rocker Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, who is perhaps more famous for his tumultuous relationship with Baywatch star Pamela Anderson and his frequent scrapes with the law.
Phil Collins is another good example of a contemporary drummer autograph. Although his vocal and songwriting ability has often overshadowed his ability as a drummer, the multi-talented Collins provided the beat to the successful pop group Genesis. His latest accomplishments can be heard on the score of Walt Disney's summer blockbuster Tarzan. Finally, up-and-coming drummers like Jason Marsalis, brother of Wynton and Branford, should not be overlooked. Best known as a vocalist,
There are also many very talented studio artists. These musicians don't play with one particular group but, rather, provide their services in the recording studio to many different artists. For example, at 26 Steve Gadd was one of the most sought after studio musicians in New York. Gadd recorded with superstars such as Paul Simon, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, James Brown, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney.
In addition, there are a host of non-professional "celebrity drummers." Personalities such as Johnny Carson, Gary Burghoff and Dana Carvey are all amateur drummers. Legendary vocalist Mel Torme (d. 1999) studied drums early in his career, and in his performances often featured himself on drums. At one time he played a kit formerly owned by Gene Krupa.
One of the fun things about collecting drummer autographs is the different drum-related media on which they can be obtained. While photos and index cards are the usual formats, some of the more interesting possibilities are drumsticks, drumheads and even cymbals. The cover of the field's leading magazine, Modern Drummer, is also a great place to get the signature of a favorite artist. Other enjoyable music-related media include CDs, album covers and sheet music.
Fans can obtain the autographs of their favorite contemporary drummers in many different ways. Getting them in person is always a possibility following concerts, promotional events or teaching clinics, and usually isn't too difficult. Drum manufacturers such as Pearl, Remo and Ludwig often put on clinics or promote their equipment at local music stores through the drummers they sponsor.
In terms of concerts, jazz drummers - given the smaller venues in which they typically appear - are much more accessible than their rock counterparts, who play in arenas before tens of thousands of screaming fans. Obtaining autographs through the mail is another avenue, although drummers may be hard to reach when they are on tour. Most can usually be contacted through their record labels. Of course, for vintage drummers collectors must turn to dealers, auction houses and other collectors.
From swing to rock, and from jazz to heavy metal, collecting drummer autographs provides fun and rewarding opportunities for unique encounters with the musicians who lay down the groove to keep our feet tapping.
Jeffrey M. Ellinport is the author of "Collecting Original Comic Strip Art!" (Antique Trader Books, 1999) and a contributing editor for "Autograph Collector." He can be reached in our care.
