Jim Keltner

James Lee "Jim" Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work; he also played the ukulele. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists. Keltner is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was characterized as "the leading session drummer in America" by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes.

Career

Keltner was initially inspired to start playing because of an interest in jazz, but the popularity of jazz was declining during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and it was the explosion of pop/rock in the mid-1960s that enabled him to break into recording work in Los Angeles. His first gig as a session musician was recording "She's Just My Style" for the pop group Gary Lewis and the Playboys.

Keltner's music career was hardly paying a living, and for several years at the outset he was supported by his wife. Toward the end of the 1960s, he finally began getting regular session work and eventually became one of the busiest drummers in Los Angeles. His earliest credited performances on record were with Gabor Szabo on the 1968 album Bacchanal.