Clyde Stubblefield (1943–2017)
February 18, 2017 2:55 PM Subscribe
The Original "Funky Drummer" Clyde Stubblefield has died at age 73. (Okayplayer, Rolling Stone, NY Times, Washington Post) [previously]
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1943, Clyde Stubblefield began his professional career as a teenager, touring with Otis Redding. At age 22 he was hired by James Brown, and played on some of Brown's biggest albums, from Cold Sweat to Sex Machine. Stubblefield is perhaps most famous for the "Funky Drummer" solo, sampled as a breakbeat in over a thousand songs.
After leaving Brown's band, Stubblefield continued playing for many years with fellow alumni including Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, and "Jabo" Starks. For over two decades he was also the house drummer on PRI's Whad'Ya Know?.
Clyde Stubblefield was enormously influential, and counted many great musicians among his fans. When Stubblefield was treated for cancer in 2001, Prince helped cover his medical bills.
Give the drummer some.
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1943, Clyde Stubblefield began his professional career as a teenager, touring with Otis Redding. At age 22 he was hired by James Brown, and played on some of Brown's biggest albums, from Cold Sweat to Sex Machine. Stubblefield is perhaps most famous for the "Funky Drummer" solo, sampled as a breakbeat in over a thousand songs.
After leaving Brown's band, Stubblefield continued playing for many years with fellow alumni including Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, and "Jabo" Starks. For over two decades he was also the house drummer on PRI's Whad'Ya Know?.
Clyde Stubblefield was enormously influential, and counted many great musicians among his fans. When Stubblefield was treated for cancer in 2001, Prince helped cover his medical bills.
Give the drummer some.
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I went to see him regularly in his weekly show when I was in Grad School in Madison WI. He had regulars like Westside Andy, Jim Schwall, Ben Sidran come sit with him from time to time. The Blues community in Madison was small but really tight. But you could see the enormous respect that everyone had for Clyde. The story I remember is that he was the one that convinced Luther Johnson to move to Madison when Luther returned to the States after his long sojourn in France; after convincing him that the life in Madison was good for a bluesman. Sadly, Luther passed away very soon afterward. He was also instrumental in making a Annual Bluesfest happen in Madison. This was all in the mid 90's. I don't even know if the fest exists anymore. Just reading this has made me recount some of the best years of my life. And hearing Clyde regularly was a BIG part of that.
RIP, Clyde. Heaven is gonna be a bit more funky tonight.
posted by indianbadger1 at 3:25 PM on February 18, 2017 [15 favorites]
I went to see him regularly in his weekly show when I was in Grad School in Madison WI. He had regulars like Westside Andy, Jim Schwall, Ben Sidran come sit with him from time to time. The Blues community in Madison was small but really tight. But you could see the enormous respect that everyone had for Clyde. The story I remember is that he was the one that convinced Luther Johnson to move to Madison when Luther returned to the States after his long sojourn in France; after convincing him that the life in Madison was good for a bluesman. Sadly, Luther passed away very soon afterward. He was also instrumental in making a Annual Bluesfest happen in Madison. This was all in the mid 90's. I don't even know if the fest exists anymore. Just reading this has made me recount some of the best years of my life. And hearing Clyde regularly was a BIG part of that.
RIP, Clyde. Heaven is gonna be a bit more funky tonight.
posted by indianbadger1 at 3:25 PM on February 18, 2017 [15 favorites]
I was in Madison in the early 90s and saw his show several times. My boyfriend (now husband) was a huge James Brown fan and was blown away when he found out that one of his musical idols lived right there in the midwest and performed regularly.
RIP Funky Drummer
posted by chaoticgood at 3:38 PM on February 18, 2017 [4 favorites]
RIP Funky Drummer
posted by chaoticgood at 3:38 PM on February 18, 2017 [4 favorites]
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posted by jim in austin at 3:42 PM on February 18, 2017
posted by jim in austin at 3:42 PM on February 18, 2017
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posted by mikelieman at 3:57 PM on February 18, 2017
posted by mikelieman at 3:57 PM on February 18, 2017
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posted by grumpybear69 at 4:07 PM on February 18, 2017
posted by grumpybear69 at 4:07 PM on February 18, 2017
Oh man, I'm sorry to hear it. What a legend.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 4:09 PM on February 18, 2017
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 4:09 PM on February 18, 2017
.. . . .
posted by gusandrews at 4:44 PM on February 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by gusandrews at 4:44 PM on February 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Damn, I'm sorry to hear that. I usually get impatient with drum solos, but not his.
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posted by languagehat at 5:31 PM on February 18, 2017
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posted by languagehat at 5:31 PM on February 18, 2017
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posted by spinifex23 at 7:20 PM on February 18, 2017
posted by spinifex23 at 7:20 PM on February 18, 2017
Oh, no! Oh, man! There are moments that I forget that all the greats are now definitely old enough to go.
Godspeed, Mr. Stubblefield, and thank you.
And say "Hey" to Dennis for us.
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posted by droplet at 8:44 PM on February 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Godspeed, Mr. Stubblefield, and thank you.
And say "Hey" to Dennis for us.
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posted by droplet at 8:44 PM on February 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Wanna give the drummer some? Lets give the drummer some. You got it drummer! Giving the drummer some in Cold Sweat.
posted by drnick at 9:26 PM on February 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by drnick at 9:26 PM on February 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
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posted by MrBobaFett at 10:33 PM on February 18, 2017
posted by MrBobaFett at 10:33 PM on February 18, 2017
I too saw him when I was in grad school in Madison.
What a great loss.
posted by persona au gratin at 11:22 PM on February 18, 2017
What a great loss.
posted by persona au gratin at 11:22 PM on February 18, 2017
indianbadger1: sounds like we may have been at some of the same shows!
posted by persona au gratin at 11:23 PM on February 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by persona au gratin at 11:23 PM on February 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by misteraitch at 12:17 AM on February 19, 2017
posted by misteraitch at 12:17 AM on February 19, 2017
Now I wish I had gone to college in Madison rather than Austin.
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posted by TedW at 1:26 AM on February 19, 2017
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posted by TedW at 1:26 AM on February 19, 2017
@indianbadger1, I"m sure you meant to write Luther Allison. Luther had been coming to Madison since the 60's; first at the Old Glen and Ann's, which eventually became Marsh Shapiro's Nitty Gritty.....
So many of the old blues guys from back then have left the stage. Madison was a blues mecca in the late 60's.
posted by lometogo at 4:36 AM on February 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
So many of the old blues guys from back then have left the stage. Madison was a blues mecca in the late 60's.
posted by lometogo at 4:36 AM on February 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by lordrunningclam at 5:03 AM on February 19, 2017
posted by lordrunningclam at 5:03 AM on February 19, 2017
I kept wondering why I knew the name. I asked Mr Mitt more than once if we'd seen him. Then I heard a voice (Jim Packard's voice) in my head and spent the next several hours figuring out why "Clyde Stubblefield on the drums" sounded to familiar to me.
I am now absolutely ashamed for how many years I listened to "Whad'ya Know" on public radio without realizing that Clyde Stubblefield the drummer was _the_ Clyde Stubblefield.
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posted by ovenmitt at 5:23 AM on February 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
I am now absolutely ashamed for how many years I listened to "Whad'ya Know" on public radio without realizing that Clyde Stubblefield the drummer was _the_ Clyde Stubblefield.
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posted by ovenmitt at 5:23 AM on February 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 11:56 AM on February 19, 2017
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 11:56 AM on February 19, 2017
Oh no.
Another Funk legend passed recently, Junie Morrison
posted by bongo_x at 2:37 PM on February 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
Another Funk legend passed recently, Junie Morrison
posted by bongo_x at 2:37 PM on February 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
♪
posted by Smart Dalek at 3:35 PM on February 19, 2017
posted by Smart Dalek at 3:35 PM on February 19, 2017
So my friend in Madison just sent me this. Mr. Stubblefield's widow needs help with the funeral expenses.
posted by droplet at 5:15 AM on February 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by droplet at 5:15 AM on February 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
@lometogo:"I"m sure you meant to write Luther Allison. Luther had been coming to Madison since the 60's; first at the Old Glen and Ann's, which eventually became Marsh Shapiro's Nitty Gritty.....
So many of the old blues guys from back then have left the stage. Madison was a blues mecca in the late 60's."
You is right! Luther ALLISON. I saw Luther when he came back to the US in the mid 90's. He was a part of the headliners at the Chicago Blues Fest that year. It was Eddy Clearwater, Luther Allison and Otis Rush back-to-back. The best 3 hours of blues I have EVER heard. That is when I heard that Luther was moving to Madison permanently. Sadly he passed away very soon thereafter.
I just need to get back to going to Rosa's regularly. I just listen to it at home, but Blues is best appreciated in a live club anyway.
BTAIM, RIP Clyde. Man this has hit me more than I expected.
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posted by indianbadger1 at 7:47 AM on February 20, 2017 [2 favorites]
So many of the old blues guys from back then have left the stage. Madison was a blues mecca in the late 60's."
You is right! Luther ALLISON. I saw Luther when he came back to the US in the mid 90's. He was a part of the headliners at the Chicago Blues Fest that year. It was Eddy Clearwater, Luther Allison and Otis Rush back-to-back. The best 3 hours of blues I have EVER heard. That is when I heard that Luther was moving to Madison permanently. Sadly he passed away very soon thereafter.
I just need to get back to going to Rosa's regularly. I just listen to it at home, but Blues is best appreciated in a live club anyway.
BTAIM, RIP Clyde. Man this has hit me more than I expected.
.
posted by indianbadger1 at 7:47 AM on February 20, 2017 [2 favorites]
Not a problem, indianbadger1. It's the least I could do to get the word out. I'm from Wisconsin, went to Madison in the late 80s/early 90s, and saw him live a number of times.
It's not going to be the same Madison without him.
posted by droplet at 7:50 PM on February 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's not going to be the same Madison without him.
posted by droplet at 7:50 PM on February 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
Dude.
posted by aspersioncast at 7:24 AM on February 21, 2017
posted by aspersioncast at 7:24 AM on February 21, 2017
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posted by rossmeissl at 2:01 PM on February 21, 2017
posted by rossmeissl at 2:01 PM on February 21, 2017
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Oh dear. For Messrs Stubblefield and Morrison (thanks, bongo_x, for bringing that news).
posted by On the Corner at 5:06 AM on February 28, 2017
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Oh dear. For Messrs Stubblefield and Morrison (thanks, bongo_x, for bringing that news).
posted by On the Corner at 5:06 AM on February 28, 2017
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