Born on This Day in 1928, the Nashville A-Team Drummer Who Played on Timeless Hits From Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Johnny Cash

On this day (December 23) in 1928, Buddy Harmon was born in Nashville, Tennessee. He was a prolific session drummer who played on some of the most iconic recordings to come out of Music City. He appeared on singles from Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and many more. He was also the first drummer to make regular appearances on the Grand Ole Opry.

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Harman grew up in a musical household, the son of two musicians. His mother was a drummer, which likely inspired him to take up the instrument. He bought his first kit while in high school and learned to play. Then, after high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy but continued playing whenever he could.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1961, Patsy Cline Released the Album That Introduced Two of Her Biggest Hits—Despite Failing To Receive Initial Airplay]

According to NAMM, Harmon further expanded his drumming skills after finishing his time in the Navy. He relocated to Chicago, Illinois, and attended the Roy Knapp School of Percussion. After three years of training, he was ready to return to his hometown and begin a long and fruitful career as a musician.

Carl Smith added Harmon to his band in 1954. The same year, he started doing session work and quickly became an in-demand drummer. Five years later, he became the first-ever house drummer for the Grand Ole Opry. However, the Opry didn’t allow drums on the stage at the time. As a result, Harmon had to play from behind the curtain. His time with the show was relatively short-lived. Two years after taking the gig, he had to step down because his session work took up so much of his time.

Buddy Harmon Played on Iconic Recordings

Buddy Harmon played in more than 18,000 sessions. So, there’s a good chance that if a recording came out of Nashville between the late 1950s and early 1970s, he played drums on it.

For instance, Harmon appeared on nearly every song Patsy Cline released. This includes iconic hits like “Crazy” and “Walkin’ After Midnight.” That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The list of songs that Harmon played on is long and full of timeless hits. Here are just a few.

• “Stand by Your Man”–Tammy Wynette
• “King of the Road”–Roger Miller
• “Oh, Pretty Woman”–Roy Orbison
• “Only the Lonely”–Roy Orbison
• “Viva Las Vegas”–Elvis Presley
• “Coal Miner’s Daughter”–Loretta Lynn
• “Ring of Fire”–Johnny Cash
• “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”–Brenda Lee
• “Cathy’s Clown”–the Everly Brothers
• “The Battle of New Orleans”–Johnny Horton

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