Mark Lavon Helm (born May 26, 1940), better known as Levon Helm, is most famous as the drummer (and often vocalist) for the rock group The Band. Helm is known for his deeply soulful, country-style voice, and powerful drumming style highlighted on many of the The Band's recordings, such as "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek", "Ophelia" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". His 2007 comeback album Dirt Farmer earned the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album in February 2008, and in November of that year, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #91 in the list of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Have a listen to the original version then have a crack at the groove and see whether or not you can make feel as good as Levon does. I dare say i will be repeating myself but don't you dig how he's playing for the song - sorry about that but i guess you know how i feel about this topic by now.

Alright i know i have done it before but who's heard of Gary Mallaber? Yeah like me the name doesn't mean a whole lot however when you mention these names - Steve Miller Band, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Eddy Money, The Beach Boys, Peter Frampton, Brian Setzer - you get my point. Not well known by name amazingly well known when you name artists and tracks he's played on. I grew up listening to EON FM and on sunday nights listening to Billy Pinnell i would often hear Steve Miller tracks like "Fly Like An Eagle", "Take The Money And Run", "Rock'n Me" and think to myself that the drummer was laying down some really cool stuff. So check out Take The Money And Run

Gary Mallaber (born October 11, 1946 in Buffalo, New York) is a Los Angeles session drummer, percussionist and singer. He got his start playing drums in a band from Buffalo, New York, known as Raven.

Mallaber was also the drummer/percussionist and backing singer for the 1980's band Kid Lightning, who released an album with Gerard McMahon in 1981 entitled Blue Rue.

Mallaber also plays keyboards and sings on many albums by well-known rock artists. He is probably best known for his work as drummer/percussionist, backup singer, and co-composer for The Steve Miller Band.

Mallaber was also the main studio drummer for Eddie Money for most of his earlier recordings and has played on many Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison solo albums.

In addition to drums, Mallaber plays vibraphone on the Morrison records. He has played on hit singles by Miller,Bruce Springsteen, Peter Frampton, Poco, Paul Williams, and Kermit the Frog. Some of the many other artists Mallaber has recorded with include Van Morrison, Joan Armatrading, The Beach Boys, David Cassidy, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Rush, Bob Seger, Barbra Streisand, Warren Zevon, Hughes/Thrall and Gerard McMahon. Since March 7th (the State Theatre (Falls Church, Virginia) show), Gary has been standing in as temporary drummer for Dave Mason during his 2009 Tour.

Mallaber has two sons and a daughter. He is endorsed by, Drum Workshop, Zildjian, and Regal Tip.

Fly Like an Eagle is the ninth studio album by the Steve Miller Band and is their best selling original album having gone 4x Platinum in the United States. It was released in 1976.

Discography – LP’s
Van Morrison
—Moondance
—Tupelo Honey
—St. Dominic’s Preview
—Hard Nose the Highway
—Beautiful Vision
—The Philosopher’s Stone

Steve Miller Band
—Journey from Eden
—Anthology
—Fly Like an Eagle
—Book of Dreams
—Greatest Hits
—Circle of Love
—Abracadabra*
—Steve Miller Band Live 1983
—Italian X-Rays**
—Living in the 20th Century
—Young Hearts
*Produced & wrote 8 songs
** Produced & wrote 2 songs

Bruce Springsteen
— Lucky Town
—The Ghost of Tom Joad
—The Greatest Hits Album
—The Box Set
—Essential Bruce

Eddy Money
—Eddy Money
—Life for the Taking
—Playing for Keeps
—No Control
—Where’s the Party

Los Lobos
—Kiko
The Beach Boys
—Endless Summer
—L.A. Light
Jackson Browne
—For Everyman
Paul Williams
—A Little Bit of Love
—Here Comes Inspiration
Bob Seger
—Like a Rock
Bonnie Raitt
—Home Plate
Ray Manzarak (The Doors)
—The Whole Thing Started With Rock ‘n Roll and Now It’s Out of Control
Joan Armatrading
—How Cruel
Peter Frampton
—On the Road Where I Should Be
Poco
—Legacy – 1989 Reunion
America
—Homecoming
Barbara Streisand
—Emotion
Jamie Walters
—Jamie Walters
—Ride
Ned Doheny
—Ned Doheny
—Hard Candy
—Prone
—Life after Romance
—Love Like Ours
Cher
—Stars
John Klemmer
—Fresh Feathers
Tommy Tutone
—National Emotion
Brewer & Shipley
—STL 261
Hughes/Thrall
—White Heat
Warren Zevon
—Warren Zevon
Kim Carnes
—Barking at Airplanes
Les Dudek
—Ghost Town Parade
Danny O’Keefe
—American Roulette
—So Long Harry Truman
Rick Vito (Fleetwood Mac)
—King of Hearts
John David Souther
—J.D. Souther
Maria Muldar
—Sweet Harmony
Patty Scalfa (E-Street Band)
—Rumble Doll
Johnny Rivers
—Back to Memphis
England Dan & John Ford Coley
—Dr. Jeckle & Mr. Jive
Gene Clark (The Byrds)
—Gene Clark
Dan Bern
—Boy, Dog, Van
Peter Case (The Plimsouls)
—Six Pack of Love
Gerry Goffin
—Back Room Blood
Ben Sidran
—Feel Your Groove
Bruce Johnston (The Beach Boys)
—Going Public
Dusty Springfield
—White Heat
Richard Kerr
—Songs by Richard Kerr
Lani Hall
—Blush
Tom Rush
—Merrimack County
Gerard McMann & Kid Lightning
—Blue Rue
—No Looking Back
—Foreign Papers
Raven
—Raven
Norton Buffalo
—Desert Horizon

Discography – Hit Singles

Van Morrison
Moondance
Crazy Love
Come Running
It Stoned Me
Warm Love
Into the Mystic
Caravan
Cleaning Windows
Bruce Springsteen
Better Days
Dead Man Walking

Eddy Money
Baby Hold On
Two Tickets to Paradise
Maybe I’m a Fool
Trinidad
Think I’m in Love

Poco
Call it Love

The Steve Miller Band

Fly Like an Eagle
Take the Money and Run
Keep on Rocking Me
Big Ol’ Jet Airliner
Jungle Love
Swingtown
Wild Mountain Honey
Cool Magic
Abracadabra
The Heights / Jamie Walters
How Do You Talk to an Angel
Peter Frampton
I Can’t Stand it No More
Paul Williams & Kermit the Frog
The Rainbow Connection
The Mark Tanner Band
Elena My Love

Other LP Artists (Performed and/or Recorded With)
Joe Walsh & Barnstorm
Richie Havens
Brian Setzer (Stray Cats)
Jessie Ed Davis
Stone Fury
Joan Baez
Pablo Cruise
Dave Mason
Jackie Lomax
Paul Cotton
David Cassidy
Peter Allen
Paul Pena
Roger Daultry
Kenny Loggins
Steve Perry (Journey)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle
Lynda Carter
Leon Ware
Iggy Pop
Jim Caroll
Tom Snow
John Sebastian
Peter Lewis (Moby Grape)
Patty Smyth
The Gin Blossoms
Motion Picture Songs (Written and Performed)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Spring Break
Night of the Comet
Iron Eagle
Project X
Honey I Shrunk the Kids
My Demon Lover
The Rescue
Three Fugitives
Can’t Buy Me Love

Motion Picture Soundtracks (Performed)

St. Elmo’s Fire
The Muppet Movie
Cinderella Liberty
Bugsy Malone
Defiance
The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing
Phantom of the Paradise
Caddy Shack
Rambo – First Blood, Part 2
Things are Tough All Over
Wild Geese
Dead Man Walking
Looking for Trouble
The Client
Johnny’s Girl
That Thing You Do
All This and World War II
Bad News Bears Break Training
Homer & Eddy
Flashback
Taps

Television Show Performances

Katherine (ABC Movie of the Week)
The Paul Williams Special
Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas
The Marshall Chronicles
Peaceable Kingdom (Lindsay Wagner)
The Heights
Becker (NBC)
The Dennis Miller Show
Cow and Chicken (Cartoon Network)
MTV Series, Catwalk
Fame LA
China Beach
Mailbu Grand Prix All-Star TV Game Show*
*Composed the theme

Film/Television Show Appearances

Phantom of the Paradise
The Tonight Show (5 Shows)
The Academy Awards (2 Shows)
Midnight Special (5 Shows)
Beverly Hills 90210 (7 Episodes)
The Odd Couple (2 Episodes)
The Bold and the Beautiful (4 Episodes)
MTV Videos Appearances
The Steve Miller Band
Peter Frampton
Bob Seger
Bruce Springsteen, Better Days
Eddy Money

Awards
3 Gold #1 Hit Singles
28 Platinum and Gold Albums
Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
– Steve Miller Band
Theatrical Training
Stephanie Hendrie Workshop

Al Jackson, Jr. was the excellent drummer who kept Booker T. & the MG's in line, both on their own recordings as well as on dozens of sessions for artists contracted to Hi and Stax Records. Born in Memphis in 1934, he came up with producer Willie Mitchell at the Hi label and played on dozens of hits by Al Green and Ann Peebles, among others.

Keyboard player Booker T. Jones, who had played in Mitchell's band as well, considered Jackson the best drummer in Memphis. In 1962, he persuaded Jackson to join Stax Records, where the pair joined guitarist Steve Cropper and (later) bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn to form Booker T. & the MG's, arguably the best house band in history.

The group played on virtually every recording by Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla and Rufus Thomas, Eddie Floyd, and William Bell during the mid- to late '60s. Booker T. & the MG's were hitmakers as well, thanks to instrumental tracks like "Green Onions," "Hip Hug-Her," "Hang 'Em High," and "Time Is Tight."

By 1971, however, popularity drove the group apart as both Cropper and Jones spent much time away from Memphis. During the early '70s, Jackson spent time working as both a session drummer and producer, appearing on albums by Eric Clapton, Donny Hathaway, Freddie King, Herbie Mann, the Soul Children, Shirley Brown, and Rance Allen. In 1975, Booker T. & the MG's re-formed and began recording a reunion album. Later that year, however, Jackson was tragically shot and killed in his home; reports conflict on whether the culprit was a burglar or his wife.

Source: barnesandnoble.com

I know i have featured Steve Gadd before, however i came across this pattern and thought it explained step by step really well how Gadd went about creating his unique and exciting drum grooves. Gadd so embodies Andy Newmark's comment that a great drummer can make an ordinary singer sound great. I love this guys playing full stop. Enjoy the lesson and play it with feel and passion.

Source James Morton Fusion Drum Styles