Gary Mallaber
Encyclopedia
Gary Mallaber 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 1980s 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, Morrison, Springsteen, Peter Frampton
, Poco
, Paul Williams
, and Kermit the Frog
. Some of the many other artists Mallaber has recorded with include Joan Armatrading
, The Beach Boys
, David Cassidy
, Bonnie Raitt
, Tom Rush
, Bob Seger
, Joe Brucato, Barbra Streisand
, Warren Zevon
, Hughes/Thrall
and Gerard McMahon
. Since March 7, 2009, Gary has been standing in as temporary drummer for Dave Mason
during his 2009 Tour.
He is endorsed by Drum Workshop
, Zildjian, and Regal Tip.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, percussionist and singer. He got his start playing drums in a band from Buffalo, New York, known as Raven
Raven (U.S. band)
Raven was an influential rock/blues band formed in 1967 in Buffalo, New York, and active until 1970. It was composed of Tony Galla , Jim Calire , Gary Mallaber , John Weitz , and the late Tom Calandra...
.
Mallaber was also the drummer/percussionist and backing singer for the 1980s band Kid Lightning, who released an album with Gerard McMahon
Gerard McMahon
Gerard McMahon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who specialises in creating music for films and TV...
in 1981 entitled Blue Rue
Blue Rue
Blue Rue is an album by singer/songwriter Gerard McMahon and Kid Lightning. It was released on the ARC/Columbia label in 1981.-Track listing:#"Taxi "#"Night Woman"#"Gone Tomorrow"#"Town Girls"#"All I Really Need"...
.
Mallaber also plays keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
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
Eddie Money
Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
for most of his earlier recordings and has played on many Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
and Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
solo albums.
In addition to drums, Mallaber plays vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
on the Morrison records. He has played on hit singles by Miller, Morrison, Springsteen, Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, Poco
Poco
Poco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
, Paul Williams
Paul Williams (songwriter)
Paul Hamilton Williams, Jr. is an Academy Award-winning American composer, musician, songwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World",...
, and Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
. Some of the many other artists Mallaber has recorded with include Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, MBE is a British singer, songwriter and guitarist. Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee and has been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist...
, The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
, David Cassidy
David Cassidy
David Bruce Cassidy is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as the character of Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family. He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and...
, Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
, Tom Rush
Tom Rush
Tom Rush is an American folk and blues singer, songwriter, musician and recording artist.- Life and career :Rush was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His father was a teacher at St. Paul's School, in Concord, New Hampshire. Tom began performing in 1961 while studying at Harvard University after...
, Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
, Joe Brucato, Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon
Warren William Zevon was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his sometimes sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes.Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known...
, Hughes/Thrall
Hughes/Thrall
Hughes/ Thrall was musical project formed in 1982 by former Deep Purple and Trapeze bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes and guitarist journeyman Pat Thrall.-History:...
and Gerard McMahon
Gerard McMahon
Gerard McMahon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who specialises in creating music for films and TV...
. Since March 7, 2009, Gary has been standing in as temporary drummer for Dave Mason
Dave Mason
David Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
during his 2009 Tour.
He is endorsed by Drum Workshop
Drum Workshop
Drum Workshop is a drum and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Their slogan is "The Drummer's Choice".-History:...
, Zildjian, and Regal Tip.