Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Photographs)
John Hartman, a cofounder of the Doobie Brothers and the California rock band’s authentic drummer, has died. He was 72.
On Thursday, the band introduced Hartman’s loss of life in posts on its official Instagram and Twitter accounts, the place they complimented him as “a wild spirit, nice drummer, and showman” and supplied condolences to his household.
“At the moment we’re pondering of John Hartman, or Little John to us. John was a wild spirit, nice drummer, and showman throughout his time within the Doobies,” the band wrote in its social media posts. “He was additionally a detailed buddy for a few years and an intricate a part of the band’s persona! We ship our condolences to all his family members at this tough time.”
“Relaxation In Peace John,” the band added. The Doobie Brothers didn’t affirm when Hartman died or his explanation for loss of life.
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Hartman fashioned the unique Doobie Brothers with guitarists and vocalists Patrick Simmons and Tom Johnston within the early Seventies after assembly the pair whereas taking part in in Bay Space bars in Northern California, in response to the band’s official web site.
“All of it started in 1969, when a drummer named John Hartman arrived in Northern California. He was there to satisfy Skip Spence from the band Moby Grape and change into a part of a supposed band reunion that by no means fairly received off the bottom,” an excerpt from the band’s biography on its web site reads. “Nevertheless it wasn’t all for naught. Spence (who had additionally performed within the Jefferson Airplane) launched Hartman to his buddy Tom Johnston, a neighborhood singer/songwriter/guitarist -and they linked. Hartman and Johnston started taking part in native Bay Space bars.”
“They quickly met singer/guitarist Pat Simmons, whose finger-style taking part in richly complimented Johnston’s R&B strumming-style, and the muse for The Doobie Brothers was set,” the biography provides.
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Hartman served because the Doobie Brothers’ drummer on every of the band’s first eight albums, and carried out on in style tracks together with 1972’s “Pay attention To The Music,” 1973’s “Lengthy Prepare Runnin’,” and 1978’s “What a Idiot Believes.” The band additionally noticed two songs hit No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching 100 throughout Hartman’s tenure.
Although he was the band’s authentic drummer, Hartman was not the Doobie Brothers’ solely, because the band operated with two males behind the package from 1971 onward, in response to Stereogum.
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Hartman left the band after 1979 and returned for its 1989 reunion album Cycles. He then performed with the Doobie Brothers once more till he retired in 1992.
In 2020, Hartman was inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame as a member of the Doobie Brothers, together with 8 different performers from the band’s decades-long profession.
