Keith Keef Hartley (8 April 1944 – 26 November 2011) was an English drummer and bandleader. He fronted his own eponymous band, known as the Keef Hartley Band or the Keef Hartley Big Band, and played at Woodstock. He was later a member of Dog Soldier, and variously worked with Rory Storm, The Artwoods and John Mayall. Keith Hartley was born in Preston, Lancashire. He studied drumming under Lloyd Ryan, who also taught Phil Collins the drum rudiments. His career began as the replacement for Ringo Starr as a drummer for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, a Liverpool-based band. Subsequently he played and recorded with The Artwoods, then achieved some notability as John Mayalls drummer (including his role as the only musician, other than Mayall, to play on Mayalls 1967 solo record The Blues Alone. He then formed The Keef Hartley (Big) Band, mixing elements of jazz, blues, and rock and roll; the group played at Woodstock in 1969. They released five albums, including Halfbreed and The Battle of North West Six (characterised by a reviewer for the Vancouver Sun as an amazing display of virtuosity). After that Hartley released a solo album (Lancashire Hustler, 1973) and then he formed Dog Soldier with Miller Anderson (guitar), Paul Bliss (bass), Derek Griffiths (guitar) and Mel Simpson (keyboards). They released an eponymous album in 1975, which had a remastered release in early 2011 on CD on the Esoteric label. In 2007, Hartley released a ghostwritten autobiography, Halfbreed (A Rock and Roll Journey That Happened Against All the Odds). Hartley wrote about his life growing up in Preston, and his career as a drummer and bandleader, including the Keef Hartley Bands appearance at Woodstock. Hartley died on 26 November 2011, aged 67, at Royal Preston Hospital in Preston. Discography Keef Hartley Band Halfbreed (1969) The Battle of North West Six (1969) The Time Is Near (August 1970) - UK #41 Overdog (8 April 1971) Seventy-Second Brave (1972) Not Foolish Not Wise (1968-1972 / studio + live) (1999 / 2003) Solo Lancashire Hustler (1973) Little Big Band Little Big Band (live at Marquee Club) (1971) Dog Soldier Dog Soldier (1975) UAS 29769, recorded at Island Basing Street Studios, London, 18 November - 15 December 1974
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 12:55:50 +0000
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