Ci ha lasciato Roger Hawkins

“One of the greatest drummers I’ve ever played with, a great guy, and a very sad loss.”

 (Steve Winwood)

Ci sono batteristi che hanno suonato con i “più grandi” e che hanno contribuito con il loro stile a rendere immortali molte canzoni, ma rimasti sempre “nell’ombra”.

Uno di questi è Roger Hawkins, batterista americano che conoscevo perché suonò nei Traffic di Winwood/Capaldi/Wood, nel mastodontico tour “Traffic on the road” del 1972.  Purtroppo, se ne è andato il 20 maggio, vergognosamente ignorato dalla stampa “specializzata” italiana, in un mondo dove se non appari non esisti.

RIP

Wazza

Traffic on tour in 1972: Rebop Kwaku Baah, Barry Beckett, Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Roger Hawkins, Chris Wood, David Hood (L to R)

Roger was among the best drummers to ever sit behind a kit. There’s an old line about studio musicians: You might not have heard of them, but you’ve certainly heard them

Con Aretha Franklin

Here’s a tip-of-the-iceberg list of hits Roger played on: “When a Man Loves a Woman” – Percy Sledge; “Land of 1,000 Dances,” “Mustang Sally,” and “Hey Jude” – Wilson Pickett; “I’m Your Puppet” – James & Bobby Purify; “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” “Since You’ve Been Gone,” “Think,” and “I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)” – Aretha Franklin; “Take a Letter Maria” – R.B. Greaves; “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There” – the Staple Singers; “Kodachrome” and “Loves Me Like a Rock” – Paul Simon; “Mainstreet,” “We’ve Got Tonight,” and “Old Time Rock & Roll” – Bob Seger. 

He also played drums on recordings by Linda Ronstadt, Laura Nyro, Solomon Burke, Leon Russell (who gave the Swampers their name), Cher, Rod Stewart, Jimmy Buffett, Albert King, Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, and a host of others.