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. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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 March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/338617.

Purdie, Bernard. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/338617.

"Purdie, Bernard." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/338617

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