Earl Palmer Died at 84

Earl Palmer (October 25, 1924 - September 19, 2008), a session drummer whose pioneering backbeats were recorded on classics like Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” and the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” died on Friday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 84. Palmer died after fighting a lengthy illness.

Born in New Orleans in 1924 and later moving to Los Angeles, Palmer worked extensively in both cities, recording with some of the music world's all-time greats on thousands of tracks.

His beats form the backdrop on Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High," Fats Domino's "The Fat Man" and "I Hear You Knockin"' by Smiley Lewis.

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