Richard "Pistol" Allen

Howard Richard " Pistol " Allen ( born August 13, 1932 in Memphis ( Tennessee), † 30 June 2002 in Royal Oak ( Michigan)) was an African-American studio musician who spent most of his career as a drummer at Motown's Funk Brothers.

Career

His models were the jazz drummer Buddy Rich and Max Roach. Allen hit the end of 1958 in his hometown of Memphis jazz pianist Evans Bradshaw, who received him in his trio. On January 27, 1959, the LP Pieces of Eighty-Eight, helped on the Allen emerged with the Evans Bradshaw Trio in New York. About 1960 he came to Detroit, where he played Showbar in jazz pubs like the Flame. He was discovered in 1962 by drummer Benny Benjamin and adjusted by Berry Gordy as a session musician with the Funk Brothers. In addition to Allen there was already a drummer Benny Benjamin and Uriel Jones.

He did not play - as is usual with drummers - on a drum kit from a single manufacturer, but on a compiled from Ludwig- Musser, Slingerland, Gretsch and Rogers combination. Allen led at Motown with the Shuffle a new drum style one, the above all the music producers Holland- Dozier -Holland often preferred. In particular, Allen participated in Motown hits such as ( Love is Like a ) Heat Wave ( final mix on June 20, 1963; Martha & the Vandellas ), The Way You Do the Things You Do (9 January 1964 The Temptations ), baby Love (13 August 1964; Supremes ), Reach Out I'll Be There (July 27, 1966 Four Tops ), How Sweet It is ( To Be Loved By You ) (August 29, 1966; Jr. Walker & the All Stars ) or I heard It Through the Grapevine (10 April 1967; Marvin Gaye, here are all 3 percussionists heard).

As with Motown usual, he played only rarely in foreign studios. On February 9, 1968, he took along with colleague Dennis Coffey Funk Brother in the United Sound Studio in Detroit for Ben E. King 7 title. As Coffey in September 1971 recorded his instrumental music single Scorpio, he chose Allen as a drummer; it reached millions Seller status.

Allen played in the historical film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, but died 6 weeks after the premiere, which took place on 11 May 2002. Allen died of cancer, leaving behind his wife and 10 children.