Herb Lovelle

Herbie Lovelle (June 1 1924 - April 8, 2009) was an American drummer, who played jazz, R&B, rock, and folk. He was also a studio musician and an actor.

Lovelle's uncle was the drummer Arthur Herbert. Lovelle began his career with the trumpeter, singer and band leader Hot Lips Page in the late 1940s, then played in the 1950s with the saxophonist Hal Singer, Johnny Moore's Three Blazers and the pianist Earl Hines. Through working for Lucky Thompson and Jimmy Rushing of Count Basie's Orchestra, he became house drummer at the Savoy Ballroom in New York City for much of the 1950s. He toured with the tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb and the pianist Teddy Wilson in 1954. In 1959 he contributed to the pianist Paul Curry's album Paul Curry Presents the Friends of Fats, released on the Golden Crest label.

In the early years of television, he performed with the King Guion Orchestra on the Jerry Lester Show and the Ed Sullivan Show. In 1966, he was the lead drummer for the Sammy Davis, Jr. TV show.

Lovelle began playing more R&B in the 1950s and worked as a studio musician, often with Sam Taylor. He played on albums by Bob Dylan (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan), Pearls Before Swine, Eric Andersen, David Blue, John Denver, Tom Rush, B. B. King, John Martyn (Stormbringer!), the Strangeloves, the McCoys, and the Monkees. He continued working as a studio musician well into the 1980s.

In 1976, he produced the first album by Stuff, which went platinum in Japan. He also played the drums in the 1976 revival of Guys and Dolls.

From 1980 he acted in film and television, including Law & Order (1995–2004). His film credits include Bella (2006), Mitchellville (2004) (Sundance), Don't Explain (2002), The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001), Down to Earth (2001), Girlfight (2000), Maximum Risk (1996), Getting Away with Murder (1996), White Lies (1996), Bleeding Hearts (1994), The Paper (1994), Running on Empty (1988), Death Wish III (1985), A Man Called Adam (1966).

His TV credits include Into the Fire (2005), How Do You Spell Belief? (2005), Kingpin Rising (2005), Third Watch (2 episodes, 2005), and Law & Order TV (1995–2004).

Birth and Death Data: Born June 1, 1924 (Brooklyn), Died April 8, 2009

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1952

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. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 83197 8/1/1952 Why was I born (Little) Jimmy Scott instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 83198 8/1/1952 You never miss the water (Little) Jimmy Scott instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 83199 8/1/1952 The bluest blues (Little) Jimmy Scott instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 83200 8/1/1952 Solitude (Little) Jimmy Scott instrumentalist, drums  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lovelle, Herb," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/328272.

Lovelle, Herb. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/328272.

"Lovelle, Herb." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/328272

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