4 Drummers Who Are Also Iconic Singers

If your sights are set on becoming an iconic singer, the drum kit isn’t usually the place to start. Though some famous vocalists do emerge from behind the kit, percussion doesn’t suit singing like a guitar or a piano.

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Drums are typically there for groove and rhythm, while the other instruments handle chords and melody. And there are physical challenges to crushing a heavy groove, which makes filling your lungs to sing more difficult. Yet the singing drummers below have each proved that everything you’ve just read is wrong.

Dave Grohl

It’s amazing what you can do with four chords. Kurt Cobain begins “Smells Like Teen Spirit” with four simple chords. Then Dave Grohl blasts one of rock’s most iconic drum fills. He said disco groups like The Gap Band and Cameo inspired his parts. But Grohl also handled the vocal harmonies in Nirvana, so it was obvious he could sing. But a lead singer? Following Nirvana’s tragic ending, Grohl traded places on stage and formed Foo Fighters. His previous view from the drum kit was now behind him as he moved forward to witness packed stadiums chanting his own songs.

Chris Cornell

In the early days of Soundgarden, Chris Cornell sang and played drums. Guitarist Kim Thayil and bassist Hiro Yamamoto wrote riffs in odd time signatures as Cornell worked out the grooves from behind the kit. However, the math became too much to handle, and Soundgarden needed to find a drummer to free Cornell to focus on singing and fronting the band. Rick Beato asked Thayil if he and Yamamoto realized what they had sitting behind the drum set. But Thayil said they didn’t because Cornell was one of those drummers who wanted to try singing. You could say his attempt worked.

Don Henley

This entry on our list of singing drummers sang many of Eagles’ signature songs, like “Desperado”, “Hotel California”, and “Witchy Woman”. It’s uncommon for a drummer to have this experience, let alone in one of the biggest-selling rock bands in history. On Henley’s solo hit, “The Boys Of Summer”, Mike Campbell programmed its beat using a LinnDrum. Perhaps a bit of irony for the solo single of a famous drummer. But it also shows how Henley’s voice became more recognizable than his drumming. His other solo hits include “Dirty Laundry”, “All She Wants To Do Is Dance”, and “The End Of The Innocence”.

Karen Carpenter

When Karen and Richard Carpenter signed to A&M Records in 1969, Karen sang most of the songs while also drumming for the duo. As their popularity grew, Richard and manager Sherwin Bash convinced her to step out from behind the drums to better entertain the audience. She learned to adjust to performing with only a microphone as she lost the security of a drum set. Though Karen’s multi-octave voice and stage presence were central to The Carpenters’ success, she’ll always be remembered as a proficient drummer who handled complex parts alongside her gorgeous crooning.

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