Ronnie Verrell

Ronald " Ronnie " Thomas Verrell ( born February 21, 1926 in Rochester, England; † 22 February 2002 in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, England ) was an English jazz drummer, the worldwide notoriety as Animal in the Muppet Show attained.

Life and work

Verrell began his career in the 1940s in local jazz and dance bands, such as Carl Barriteau, the London Aires Dance Orchestra, and from 1949 at Cyril Stapleton. He worked many years as a big band drummer, first from 1951 to 1964 in the Ted Heath Orchestra, with whom he went on tour in the United States. He then worked for a good ten years with the Jack Parnell Orchestra ATV. There he also played regularly the Sunday Night at the London Palladium, a variety show that ran on British television from 1955 to 1967 and from 1973 to 1974. In addition, he worked for the Frank Skinner show on television.

In 1969, he played the first regular album of the band Strawbs drums and replaced occasionally Dave Clark at the Dave Clark Five. Best known he was the man of the Muppet Show gave the trommlerischen ability from the mid-1970s Animal. The Muppet Show he delivered to musical duels with Dizzy Gillespie and Buddy Rich. As a studio musician he has participated in recordings of Tony Bennett, Shirley Bassey, John Williams, Cleo Laine, Tom Jones, Champion Jack Dupree, Vic Lewis, Jay McShann, Al Casey, Stan Tracey and by Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli.

Since 1981, he played with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra; in his last years he performed in jazz combos around vocalist Tony Jacobs and clarinetist Dave Shepherd. Due to a stair fall in house Verrell had to undergo surgery, which he drew upon pneumonia, which led to death.

Verrell was married three times and has three daughters.