Bernard Purdie

Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie (born June 11, 1939) is an American drummer, and an influential R&B, soul and funk musician. He is known for his precise musical time keeping and his signature use of triplets against a half-time backbeat: the "Purdie Shuffle." He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013. Purdie recorded Soul Drums (1968) as a band leader and although he went on to record Alexander's Ragtime Band, the album remained unreleased until Soul Drums was reissued on CD in 2009 with the Alexander's Ragtime Band sessions. Other solo albums include Purdie Good! (1971), Soul Is... Pretty Purdie (1972) and the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film Lialeh (1973). In the mid-1990s he was a member of The 3B's, with Bross Townsend and Bob Cunningham.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 11, 1939 (Elkton)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1965 - 1966

Roles Represented in DAHR: drums

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Role
Decca	115958	5/6/1965	Tuff pickin'	Sonny Forriest Orchestra	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	115959	5/6/1965	My soul is happy	Sonny Forriest Orchestra	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	115960	5/6/1965	Goodbye Charlie	Sonny Forriest Orchestra	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	115961	5/10/1965	Unchain my heart	Sonny Forriest Orchestra	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	115962	5/10/1965	Bitter with the sweet	Sonny Forriest Orchestra	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	115963	5/10/1965	Steppin'	Sonny Forriest Orchestra	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	115964	5/10/1965	What is this thing called love	Sonny Forriest Orchestra	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116800	12/3/1965	Do you say you wanna dance	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116801	12/3/1965	Soul galore	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116802	12/3/1965	Let me build	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116803	12/3/1965	I've got to get back (Country boy)	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116804	12/3/1965	All my lovin'	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116899	1/11/1966	I got my mind made up	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116900	1/11/1966	3 days, 1 hour, 30 minutes	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116901	1/11/1966	What's done in the dark (Will one day come to light)-1	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116902	1/11/1966	Your loss, my gain-1	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116903	1/11/1966	Everything's gonna be fine	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116904	1/11/1966	Brand new thing, part 1	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	116905	1/11/1966	Brand new thing, part 2	Jackie Wilson	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	118364	12/29/1966	I put a spell on you	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	118365	12/29/1966	Two can play this game	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	118366	12/29/1966	Shattered	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	118367	12/29/1966	You're an exception to the rule	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	instrumentalist, drums

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Purdie, Bernard," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/338617.

Purdie, Bernard. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/338617.

"Purdie, Bernard." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.