Sun Records Drummer Dies at 86

J.M. “Jimmy” Van Eaton, a pioneering rock ‘n’ roll drummer who performed behind the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Billy Lee Riley at Solar Data in Memphis, Tennessee, died Friday (Feb. 9) at age 86, a member of the family stated.

Van Eaton, a Memphis native who got here to the well-known document label as a teen, died at his dwelling in Alabama after coping with well being points during the last 12 months, The Business Attraction of Memphis reported, along with his spouse, Deborah, confirming his dying.

Van Eaton was recognized for his bluesy taking part in model that the newspaper stated powered traditional early-rock hits at Solar like “Entire Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Lewis and “Pink Scorching” by Riley. He additionally performed with Invoice Justis and Charlie Wealthy.

James Mack Van Eaton initially started taking part in trumpet in a college band, however he quickly moved to drums, saying in a 2015 interview that “it was an instrument that intrigued me.”

Van Eaton had his personal rock ‘n’ roll band known as The Echoes that might document a demo on the recording studio operated by Sam Phillips. His work there led him to attach with Riley and later Lewis.

“The toughest man to play with on the planet was Jerry Lee. I instructed each musician to remain out of this man’s means,” Phillips instructed The Business Attraction in 2000. “The one exception was JM Van Eaton.”

Van Eaton grew to become a part of a core of musicians that carried out at Solar by way of the Nineteen Fifties, the newspaper reported.

Van Eaton drifted away from the music enterprise within the Nineteen Sixties, however he resumed performing by the Seventies, significantly as curiosity in rockabilly grew following the dying of Elvis Presley.

By the early Eighties, Van Eaton started 4 many years of working within the municipal bond enterprise. However he additionally was a part of the workforce that performed the music for the movie Nice Balls of Fireplace, about Lewis, and he put out a solo album within the late Nineteen Nineties. He was a member of the Rockabilly Corridor of Fame and Memphis Music Corridor of Fame. He moved from Tennessee to Alabama a number of years in the past.

Along with his spouse, Van Eaton is survived by a son and daughter.