Originally Published on Feb. 20, 2017
RIP Clyde Stubblefield (1943-2017)
The Song of the Day is:
James Brown – “Funky Drummer”
Originally released as a two sided single in 1969. Full unedited version from the compilation album In The Jungle Groove (1986)
We will discuss James Brown (at length) another day. Today we will celebrate the legacy of drummer Clyde Stubblefield who died on the 18th at age 73. The Wisconsin born drummer joined up with James Brown’s band in 1965. He was one of two drummers for the band, along with John “Jabo” Starks. Stubblefields time with the band was at their evolution from soul to funk. He would have an amazing legacy if this were all he did, but when the hip hop era emerged, Stubblefield became one of the most widely heard musicians on the planet. Stubblefield’s “Funky Drummer” eight bar break beat solo is thought to be one of the most sampled pieces of music ever, over 1,400 instances. Dr. Dre, Sinead O’Connor, Sublime, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, George Michael, Run DMC and Grandmaster Flash have all utilized this clip in famous songs. It is a very simple drum beat, but its recognizable, malleable and a clean sample. Unfortunately, Stubblefield did not directly benefit financially from the use of his drum sample. He died of kidney failure.
Hear Today, Grown Tomorrow 