Charles Connor

Charles Connor ( born January 14, 1935 in New Orleans ) is an American drummer in the genres of rhythm and blues and rock ' n ' roll. He was a member of Little Richard's live band The Upsetters. Little Richard gerufenes intro " A- wop bop -a loo -mop, a- lop bam boom " of Tutti Frutti to be modeled Connors beats.

Childhood

Connor was born in New Orleans. His father came from Santo Domingo and was a member of the United States Merchant Marine, his mother was from Louisiana. As a child he heard his father Calypso sing and he followed the marching bands of the French Quarter, which gave their Dixieland for the best. As examples he gave to Bob Alden, Art Blakey, Charles Otis, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Max Roach. He got his first drum set at five years.

Career

In 1950 the 15 -year-old Connor his first professional gig with Professor Longhair at the carnival in New Orleans. Over the next three years, he was booked by Smiley Lewis, Guitar Slim, Jack Dupree and Shirley and Lee. At 18, he hired by Little Richard's live band The Upsetters, drumming for the Rock ' n ' Roller in the entire high phase until 1957. During Little Richard recordings in New Orleans by Earl Palmer were contested on drums, Charles Conner arrived in Los Angeles and studio visits while touring used. So he's on The Girl Can not Help It, She's Got It, Ooh! My Soul and Keep A - Knockin ' to hear. In the latter he played a four-bar drum intro, which was 15 years later copied by John Bonham as the start of Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll. In between Connor was given the opportunity to play for James Brown, as both singers had the same promoter. Brown praised Connor as " first [ drummer ], the radio brought into the rhythm ." Later he played for Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, The Coasters, Big Joe Turner, Larry Williams, Don Covay, George Lightfoot and Dee Clark.

Work

• Charles Connor: Do not Give Up Your Dreams. AuthorHouse, Bloomington 2008, ISBN 978-1-4343-7179-9.