James Gadson
Full Name: James Edward Gadson
Birth Date: June 17, 1939
Deceased Date: April 2, 2026
Artist Bio:
Renowned R&B/soul drummer, bandmember and top session musician; appeared on hundreds of recordings over a five-decade career starting in the mid-60s as a member of Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (“Express Yourself,” #12, 1970) before joining Bill Withers‘ backing band for Still Bill (1972), Live at Carnegie Hall (1973) and the hits “Lean on Me” (#1, 1972) and “Use Me” (#2, 1972); became one of the most prolific session musicians ever, anchoring the groove for Marvin Gaye (“Let’s Get It On,” #1, R&B #1, 1973), The Jackson 5 (“Dancing Machine,” #2, R&B #1, 1974), and Diana Ross (“Love Hangover,” #1, R&B #1, 1976) and scores of other soul hits; transitioned to disco and pop, contributing to The Bee Gees‘ Spirits Having Flown (1979) and later collaborating with modern artists like Beck, Amos Lee and Paul McCartney; remained an active force in the Los Angeles session scene through the 10s before retiring in 2021; suffered from health challenges following a fall and died recovering from back surgery on 4/2/2026, age 87.
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