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Last edited Sun May 11, 2025, 02:50 PM - Edit history (1)
Karen Carpenter originally played drums in "The Carpenters" (she was a skilled drummer), but after a while, her brother Richard and manager Sherwin Bash persuaded her to stand at the microphone to sing the band's hits while another musician played the drums.
What well-known drummer served as the band's other drummer for many years? (answered)

Earl_from_PA
(256 posts)He had an Irish name...
Eko
(9,151 posts)Brother Buzz
(38,361 posts)Cubby from the Mickey Mouse Club did the live gigs. He was a very accomplished drummer.
Side note: Hal Blaine, after studying Karen, suggested she sing an octane lower. A lot of push-back from the family, but she ultimately did, and later went on to say, The money is in the basement.
GReedDiamond
(5,437 posts)...as a drummer, Hal Blaine is one of my idols.
And I remember "Cubby" as Cubby on the Mickey Mouse Club, and as The Carpenters' live drummer.
Brother Buzz
(38,361 posts)I dont know his name, but a younger professional dummer quipped in the film, The Wrecking Crew, I discovered much latter, my ten favorite drummers from my childhood were all the same drummer
Unlike Hal Blaine and his insanely huge drum kit on wheels, Earl Palmer subscribed to the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) philosophy on drum kits.
Oh, Earl Palmer got Hal Blaine started in session work when his schedule was constantly full and started passing dates over to Blaine.
JoseBalow
(7,428 posts)Brother Buzz
(38,361 posts)He was a very effective drummer without playing hard, and he had a lot of fun doing it.
As a kid, Levon got invited into radio station, KFFA in Helena, Arkansas to catch King Biscuit Time. He immediately noticed the drummer, James Peck Curtis was having all the fun and decided, then and there, to switch to drums.
Note Pinetop Perkins playing the piano.
VGNonly
(8,080 posts)taking a non-musical job. What was it?
Brother Buzz
(38,361 posts)I immediately started riffing on chewing gum, but that was later.
VGNonly
(8,080 posts)but before The Band, sorry about that. They did some sessions, then worked with Dylan. Levon got somewhat disillusioned with all the hype over Dylan (long story) and quit the band for about a year or so. Levon took a job on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The band then regrouped. In 67 Music From the Big Pink was recorded and released. That's when they were formally called The Band.
Brother Buzz
(38,361 posts)Tiny Tim recorded with The Band at the Big Pink. Dylan invited Tiny Tim to Woodstock to pick his encyclopedic brain of early popular music to find something he might record. I understand Tiny Tim recorded with The Band before Dylan actually laid anything down on tape, and by all accounts, The Band had a blast doing it.


VGNonly
(8,080 posts)What was the name of Tiny Tim's wife? They were married on The Tonight Show.
Brother Buzz
(38,361 posts)He was an odd duck by every measure, but he was a genuine walking, talking encyclopedia of early twentieth century popular music.
red dog 1
(30,915 posts)
Cubby O'Brien still works regularly, playing drums for various touring Broadway shows.
Brother Buzz
(38,361 posts)VGNonly
(8,080 posts)Brother Buzz
(38,361 posts)Jim Gordon, boy howdy, that was a sad story.
Fun side note: Joe Osborn, Ricky Nelson's bass player, deserved to take another victory lap for pulling a demo tape of Travelin Man out of a trash can and bringing it to Nelson.
VGNonly
(8,080 posts)except for Hal Blaine. It's been said that Hal Blaine played on 35,000 sessions!
Response to red dog 1 (Original post)
Abolishinist This message was self-deleted by its author.
Abolishinist
(2,504 posts)(I was minus 5 years old at the time).
Who was playing bass?