Great Drummer Lou Bellson passed away

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Sunday Feb 15, 2009

Passed away 2/14/09. One of the greatest big band drummers. One of the first, if not the first, to play double bass drums.
http://louiebellson.info/news.html

Check him out in this 1957 drum solo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG4Y0N9bi10

Drum-Wolf · Post by **Drum-Wolf** » Monday Feb 16, 2009

A true pioneer in Bellson & an incredible talent. That's an amazing 1957 solo! What a blessed life! I think he could hang with Buddy Rich better than Krupa! Not to mention, a nice guy.

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Monday Feb 16, 2009

One of the masters...R.I.P louie.
Man, i would love to have that Gretch kit Hawk...

Jared Michaels · Post by **Jared Michaels** » Monday Feb 16, 2009

That totally Sucks!

R.I.P Louie... You will be missed and never forgotten my Drumming,fallen bro!

Thank you for all of your awesome contributions!!!

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Monday Feb 16, 2009

You gotta watch this Rich / Bellson drum battle. Non stop...

Weckl's got nothing on these guys .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aESWZplE ... re=related

slackin@dabass · Post by **slackin@dabass** » Monday Feb 16, 2009

could you imagine being one of the first guys using two kick drums, walking into the gig and having the band leader look at you sideways like "why do you need two? everyone else has one."

amazing. ingenuitive. musical. great sense of time. everything anyone could want in a drummer.

surly, lou, you will be missed.

PanzerFaust · Post by **PanzerFaust** » Monday Feb 16, 2009

He's playing so fast his sticks shred into splinters almost like little brushes!!!

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Monday Feb 16, 2009

slackin@dabass wrote:could you imagine being one of the first guys using two kick drums, walking into the gig and having the band leader look at you sideways like "why do you need two? everyone else has one."

amazing. ingenuitive. musical. great sense of time. everything anyone could want in a drummer.

surly, lou, you will be missed.

You should bring two basses to shows Ryan, maybe that can be the new thing!

RIP Louie!

slackin@dabass · Post by **slackin@dabass** » Tuesday Feb 17, 2009

RobTheDrummer wrote:
slackin@dabass wrote:could you imagine being one of the first guys using two kick drums, walking into the gig and having the band leader look at you sideways like "why do you need two? everyone else has one."

amazing. ingenuitive. musical. great sense of time. everything anyone could want in a drummer.

surly, lou, you will be missed.
You should bring two basses to shows Ryan, maybe that can be the new thing!

RIP Louie!

if i could find another 35 inch scale spector for a decent price, i would. just play them one on top the other, like the guitard from cheap trick.

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Feb 17, 2009

Double neck bass? One 4 and one 6 string.

slackin@dabass · Post by **slackin@dabass** » Tuesday Feb 17, 2009

Hawk wrote:Double neck bass? One 4 and one 6 string.

naw, one 9 and one 11. tuned chromatically.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Tuesday Feb 17, 2009

My hub, Chris is a Huge Louie Bellson fan! AND he's from his hometown, Moline (Rock Falls is a suburb). Chris grew up listening to his music and couldn't wait to get his 1st double bass set. (Rogers - Red, White & Blue - went all the way to LA with us!)

Did you know he was married to Pearl Bailey? At least they're together now. Rest peacefully, Louie.

T

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Feb 17, 2009

Yeah, he and Pearl were married for a long time. Two very cool people !