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“James Edward Gadson, June 17, 1939- April 2, 2026 Born on June 17, 1939, drummer, producer, singer, and songwriter James Gadson grew up in the Kansas City music scene. He was greatly influenced by his father Harold, who was a well-known drummer in Kansas City. James later moved to Los Angeles, where he became one of the most sought-after studio drummers and most recorded R&B drummers ever, playing on nearly 300 gold records. He worked with the world’s top performing artists, including Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, the Temptations, Ramsey Lewis, Herbie Hancock, Patrice Rushen, The Pointer Sisters, Herb Alpert, the 5th Dimension, Smokey Robinson, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, and Natalie Cole.
James Gadson’s soulful and funky playing gained attention with Dyke and the Blazers in the late 60s on the hits “We Got More Soul” and “Let a Woman Be a Woman and A Man Be a Man.” His drumming became more influential in Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band. James’ playing on the tracks “Express Yourself,” “Do Your Thing,” and “Love Land” (featuring his lead vocals) is taste and groove personified. The recently released powerhouse live recordings of Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, entitled Live at the Haunted House— May 18, 1968, further cement the band’s funky prowess. James Gadson’s drumming with Bill Withers permanently established him as a drumming legend. The smooth grooves on Withers’ “Use Me” and “Lean On Me” from Still Bill, and the simmering live grooves on “World Keeps Going Around” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” from Live at Carnegie Hall are truly iconic. James’ percussive importance was never more apparent than when Gadson brought his legendary sense of groove and musicality to Marvin Gaye’s epic recording, I Want You.
In the 70s, James Gadson was one of the important drumming creators and purveyors of disco drumming. Along with Ed Green, James’ drumming was at the core of The Miracles City of Angels classic disco album. Gadson’s percolating funk drumming was heard on disco classics by Gloria Gaynor, Rose Royce, and Tavares, and on Minnie Ripperton’s Stay in Love, Cheryl Lynn’s “Got to Be Real,” Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover,” and the Jackson 5’s “Dancing Machine.” His exciting groove on the Memphis Horns’ Get Up and Dance, is simply infectious. James Gadson’s drumming got people moving, inspired dancers, and packed dancefloors everywhere.
In 1971 James Gadson played drums on one of the funkiest records ever recorded, when he was asked by soul-jazz organist Charles Kynard to play on his self-titled recording. Many years later, picking up where he left off, James recently recorded with Austrian organist Raphael Wressnig on the Chicken Burritto recording.
In recent times, Gadson was featured on the entire Aaron Neville recording Bring It on Home, Solomon Burke’s Make Do With What You Got, and on two tracks of Paul McCartney’s Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. James’ drumming on Beck’s recordings Sea Change, The Information, and Morning Phase sets the stage for Beck’s musical experimentation. Gadson played on D’Angelo and the Vanguard’s Black Messiah alongside drummers Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Chris Dave, with Jon Batiste on “Tell the Truth,” and with hitmakers Harry Styles on “She,” and Justin Timberlake on “(Another Song) All Over You.”
All of James Gadson’s humanity, musicality, and groove was captured up-close and personal on his instructional video entitled Funk R&B Drumming which shows his infectious and funky drumming, his signature one-handed 16th note hi-hat grooves, and his inimitable cross stick grooves. The video stands as a fitting tribute to the vast importance and substantial influence of James Gadson’s drumming. James Gadson was 86 years old.” — Mark Griffith
