Hal Blaine

Real Name:Harold Simon Belsky
Profile:Born 05 February 1929, Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA

Drummer and percussionist with rock/pop harmony band America, 1972-3.

Blaine began his career drumming for various bands that toured back and forth across the States in the 1950s, playing theaters, supper clubs and casinos. He finally hooked up with the Tommy Sands show and learned much of his craft working closely with producers at Capitol Records. Blaine's drumming skills became highly utilized as a session member of the 'Wrecking Crew' Collective. He was one of many 'first call' players who would sit in for recordings around the Los Angeles area, in studios such as Gold Star Recording Studios, Western Recorders, Radio Recorders, CBS Studios and RCA Victor Studios.

From the late 1950s to the mid 1970s Blaine performed 'on call', in many cases anonymously, on over 35,000 tracks of major artists. His work has helped provide more than 350 Top Ten records and over 40 Number One hits. Blaine is also the guy responsible for coining the name 'Wrecking Crew' for this team of accomplished musicians who would help to furnish the hits from California.

Occasionally, members of the Crew would come together and release works in their own right. In this respect Blaine featured in the group The Zodiac.
URLs:http://www.halblaine.com
http://www.wreckingcrew.tv/storycomplete.html
In Groups:America (2), Zodiac, The
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Releases:
Deuces, "T's", Roadsters & Drums (CD)   Sundazed Music 2001
(Dance With The) Surfin' Band / The Traps (7", Single)   RCA Victor  
Topsy '67 / California Sun (7", Single)   RCA Victor  
Appears On:
Sands At The Sands (LP, Album) (I'm) All Shook Up Capitol Records 1960
Surf City And Other Swingin' Cities (LP)   Liberty 1963
Ride The Wild Surf (LP)   Liberty 1964
The Little Old Lady From Pasadena (LP, Album, Mono)   Liberty 1964
Eve Of Destruction (LP, Album)   Ariola 1965
Feelin' Good (LP, Mono)   Limelight 1965
If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em! (LP)   Limelight 1965
Look At Us (LP, Album)   ATCO Records 1965
The N.S.V.I.P.'s (Not...So...Very...Important...People) (LP, Album)   Reprise Records 1965
Funk City Express (LP, Mono, Promo, W/Lbl)   Reprise Records 1966
If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   MCA Records ... 1966
Mamas & The Papas, The (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Dunhill 1966
Our Time's Coming (LP)   Reprise Records 1966
River Deep - Mountain High (7", Single)   Philles Records 1966
A Lovely Bunch Of Al Jazzbo Collins And The Bandidos (LP)   Impulse! 1967
Deliver (LP, Album)   Dunhill 1967
Forever Changes (Album) ◄ (9 versions) Andmoreagain, The Dail... Elektra ... 1967
Like To Get To Know You (LP)   Mercury 1967
Up, Up And Away (LP, Album, Mono)   Soul City (2) 1967
Dream A Little Dream (12", Ste)   Dunhill 1968
Love And Other Crimes (LP)   Reprise Records 1968
Realization (LP, Gat)   Imperial 1968
The Papas & The Mamas (LP, Album)   Dunhill 1968
The Yard Went On Forever... (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Dunhill 1968
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Album) ◄ (19 versions)   CBS ... 1969
Carnival (LP)   Liberty 1969
Dizzy (LP, Album)   ABC Records 1969
Is This What You Want? (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Apple Records 1969
The Age Of Aquarius ◄ (2 versions)   Liberty ... 1969
Close To You ◄ (2 versions)   A&M Records 1970
Dave Antrell (LP, Album)   Amaret 1970
For Sale (LP, Album)   Ampex Records 1970
Tap Root Manuscript ◄ (2 versions)   MCA Records ... 1970
The Partridge Family Album (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Bell Records 1970
Beginnings (LP)   ABC Records 1971
Carpenters (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   A&M Records ... 1971
Live!! (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Bell Records 1971
Love's Lines, Angles And Rhymes (LP, Album)   Bell Records 1971
The Partridge Family Sound Magazine (LP, Album)   Bell Records 1971
Tutti's Trombones (LP)   Buena Vista Records 1971
A Song For You (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   A&M Records 1972
Cass. John. Michelle. Dennie (LP)   Dunhill 1972
Cherish (Album) ◄ (5 versions)   Bell Records 1972
Greatest Hits On Earth (Comp) ◄ (3 versions)   Bell Records ... 1972
Homecoming (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   Warner Bros. Records 1972
It Never Rains In Southern California (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Epic 1972
Paul Simon (Album) ◄ (3 versions) Run That Body Down, Pa... Columbia ... 1972
Shopping Bag (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Bell Records ... 1972
Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (Album, Comp) ◄ (17 versions)   CBS ... 1972
The Partridge Family At Home With Their Greatest Hits (LP, Comp)   Bell Records 1972
The Partridge Family Notebook (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Bell Records 1972
Angel Clare (Album) ◄ (5 versions)   Columbia ... 1973
Bulletin Board (LP, Album)   Bell Records 1973
Freedom For The Stallion (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   RCA Victor 1973
Hat Trick ◄ (2 versions)   Warner Bros. Records 1973
Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Original Motion Picture Sound Track) (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   CBS ... 1973
Living Together, Growing Together (LP) Open Your Window, Ashe... Bell Records 1973
Now & Then (Album) ◄ (9 versions) Jambalaya A&M Records ... 1973
Realization (LP, RE)   United Artists Records 1973
Back Home Again (Album) ◄ (4 versions) Back Home Again, On Th... RCA Victor 1974
Soul & Inspiration (LP, Album)   Bell Records 1974
The Rocky Horror Show (Starring Tim Curry And The Original Roxy Cast) ◄ (4 versions)   Ode Records (2) ... 1974
An Evening With John Denver (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   RCA Victor 1975
History - America's Greatest Hits (Comp) ◄ (6 versions) Ventura Highway, Only ... Warner Bros. Records ... 1975
Katy Lied (Album) ◄ (6 versions)   ABC Records ... 1975
Love Will Keep Us Together (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   A&M Records ... 1975
Others By Brothers (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   RCA Victor ... 1975
The Very Best Of Johnny Rivers (LP, Comp)   Liberty 1975
Windsong (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   RCA Victor 1975
Laverne & Shirley Sing (LP)   Atlantic 1976
Live In London (LP)   RCA Victor 1976
Song Of Joy (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   A&M Records ... 1976
Spirit (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   RCA Victor 1976
Come In From The Rain (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   A&M Records ... 1977
Death Of A Ladies' Man (Album) ◄ (5 versions)   Columbia ... 1977
Ear Candy ◄ (2 versions)   Capitol Records ... 1977
I Want To Live (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   RCA ... 1977
Io Tu Noi Tutti (LP, Album)   Numero Uno 1977
John Denver's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (Comp) ◄ (3 versions)   RCA 1977
The Best Of John Denver (LP, Comp)   RCA, Bertelsmann Club 1977
All Things Are Possible (LP)   Lamb & Lion Records 1978
Jerry Lee Lewis (LP, Album)   Elektra 1979
Jerry Lee Lewis (LP, Album)   Elektra 1979
Live And Learn ◄ (2 versions)   A&M Records (UK) ... 1979
Right Or Wrong (LP, Album)   Columbia 1979
Roadie (Original Motion Picture Sound Track) (Comp, Album) ◄ (2 versions) (Hot Damn) I'm A One W... Warner Bros. Records 1980
Shades (Album) ◄ (5 versions) Runaround Shelter Recording Company Inc. 1980
Evangeline (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Warner Bros. Records 1981
Now Playing (LP, Album) I Don't Know Why (I Ju... MCA Records 1981
Rock Salt And Nails (CD, Album, RE)   Edsel Records 1986
Song Cycle (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Edsel Records ... 1988
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector ◄ (2 versions)   ABKCO Records ... 1991
Phil Spector: Back To Mono (1958-1969) (4xCD, Comp)   ABKCO Records 1991
The Essential Johnny Cash 1955-1983 (3xCD, Comp + Box) Highway Patrolman Columbia, Legacy 1992
A Tramp Shining (CD, Album, RE)   MCA Records 1993
Stoney End (CD, Album, RM)   Columbia 1994
The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (CD, Album, RE) The Poster, Zor And Za... Rhino Records (2) 1994
The Monkees Present (CD, Album, RE) If I Knew, Bye Bye Bab... Rhino Records (2) 1994
White Courtesy Phone (CD, Album)   MCA Records 1995
Better Shred Than Dead - The Dick Dale Anthology (2xCD, Comp, RM)   Rhino Records (2) 1997
The Look Of Love - The Burt Bacharach Collection (3xCD, Comp) (They Long To Be) Clos... Rhino Records (2), EMI Music Special Markets 1998
Pet Sounds (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Capitol Records 1999
The Mamas & The Papas Deliver / The Papas & The Mamas (CD)   BGO Records 1999
The Paul Simon Anthology (2xCD, Comp) The Boxer, Mrs. Robins... Warner Bros. Records 1999
Beautiful Soul: The ABC/Dunhill Collection (CD)   Hip-O Records 2001
Box Set (4xCD, Comp + Box)   Rhino Entertainment Company 2001
Ultimate! (2xCD, Comp, RM) Shapes In My Mind Rhino Entertainment Company 2001
Vol. 2 (CD, Album, RE)   Sundazed Music, Sundazed Music 2001
The Best Of The Seeds (3xCD, Comp + Box) 900 Million People Dai... GNP Crescendo 2002
Portrait Of A Legend 1951-1964 (CD, Comp)   ABKCO Records 2003
Carpenters Gold (2xCD, Comp)   A&M Records 2005
Dream (CD, Album, RM)   Universal Music Special Markets, R2 Entertainment 2005
Magic Hollow (4xCD, Comp, Ltd) Bittersweet (Previousl... Rhino Handmade 2005
Night Beat (CD, Album, RM)   RCA 2005
A Christmas Together (CD, Album, RE)   LaserLight Digital 2006
The Essential (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Drummer Man EMI Music (Germany) ... 2006
The Monkees - Deluxe Edition (2xCD, Album, Ltd) Papa Gene's Blues, Swe... Rhino Entertainment Company 2006
Checkered Flag (CD, Album, RE, RM)   Sundazed Music 2007
King Of The Surf Guitar (CD, Album, RE, RM)   Sundazed Music 2007
Summer Surf (CD, RE, RM, Album)   Sundazed Music 2007
Pacific Ocean Blue (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Legacy ... 2008
He's A Rebel (LP, Album, RE, Mono)   Philles Records  
Pancake Day (CD, Album) Blind Almo Sounds  
Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica (LP, Album, RE)   Philles Records  
The Hit Years (CD, Comp)   Rhino Entertainment Company, Rhino Entertainment Company  
Tracks Appear On:
Mission Accomplished: Themes For Spies & Cops (CD) Secret Agent Man Hip-O Records 1996
LateNightTales (CD, Comp, Mixed) Wiggy (Edit) Azuli Records 2004
The Essential (CD, Comp) Drummer Man EMI Records, EMI Records 2006
Unofficial Releases:
Psychedelic Percussion / Stones (CDr) Love-In (December), Fr... Dolor Del Estamago  
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