b. Nashville, Tennessee, April 1, 1945; d. September 12, 2004
Nashville Cat
Kenny Buttrey wasn’t just a first-call Nashville session player; he was the preferred drummer for artists across America, building a lasting legacy with his work in R&B and rock.
In his early teens, the Nashville native toured with Country Music Hall of Fame member Chet Atkins. Buttrey was an early member of the Escorts, a Nashville rock band that included future session masters Charlie McCoy and Wayne Moss. He also was a founding member of Area Code 615 and Barefoot Jerry, seminal bands that highlighted the virtuosity of well-regarded studio musicians.
Buttrey described his work on Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay,” from Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline, as his proudest moment. He also played for Dylan on Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, and Self Portrait.
Buttrey can be heard keeping time on classics such as Arthur Alexander’s “Anna,” Steve Goodman’s “City of New Orleans,” Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville,” J.J. Cale’s “Cocaine,” and many others. He worked with pop acts Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Young, and Linda Ronstadt, and his soulful touch also graces country hits by Bobby Bare, Waylon Jennings, and Ray Price.
Bob Dylan, “Lay Lady Lay,” 1969.
Bob Dylan, “Lay Lady Lay,” 1969.
Rogers drum set used by Kenny Buttrey. The wooden hoop added to the snare (far right) was a gift from Levon Helm. Courtesy of Cheri Buttrey-Jenkins
Bob Dylan’s John Weseley Harding, 1967
Listen to Kenny Buttrey
Selected Songs
Neil Young, “Heart of Gold” (Neil Young)
The musicians featured on this recording are Kenny Buttrey, drums; Neil Young, harmonica and acoustic guitar; Teddy Irwin, guitar; Ben Keith, pedal steel guitar; Tim Drummond, bass; Linda Ronstadt, backing vocal; James Taylor, backing vocal.
From the album Harvest, 1972. Produced by Elliot Mazer and Neil Young at Quadrafonic Sound Studios, Nashville.
Bob Dylan, “Lay Lady Lay” (Bob Dylan)
The musicians featured on this recording are Kenny Buttrey, drums, bongos, and cowbell; Bob Dylan, guitar; Norman Blake, guitar; Charlie Daniels, electric guitar; Pete Drake, pedal steel guitar; Bob Wilson, organ; Charlie McCoy, bass.
From the album Nashville Skyline, 1969. Produced by Bob Johnston at Columbia Studios, Nashville.
Bob Dylan, “Absolutely Sweet Marie” (Bob Dylan)
Among the musicians featured on this recording are Kenny Buttrey, drums; Bob Dylan, harmonica; Al Kooper, organ; Robbie Robertson, guitar; Henry Strzelecki, bass.
From the album Blonde on Blonde, 1966. Produced by Bob Johnston at Columbia Studios, Nashville.
Bob Dylan, “As I Went Out One Morning” (Bob Dylan)
The musicians featured on this recording are Kenny Buttrey, drums; Bob Dylan, harmonica; Charlie McCoy, bass.
From the album John Wesley Harding, 1967. Produced by Bob Johnston at Columbia Studios, Nashville.
Area Code 615, “Stone Fox Chase” (Kenny Buttrey, Charlie McCoy)
The musicians featured on this recording are Kenny Buttrey, drums; Charlie McCoy, harmonica.
From the album Trip in the Country, 1970. Produced by Area Code 615 at Cinderella Sound Studio, Madison, Tennessee.
George Jones, “A Good Year for the Roses” (Jerry Chesnut)
The musicians featured on this recording are Kenny Buttrey, drums; Pete Drake, pedal steel guitar; Kelso Herston, guitar; Chip Young, guitar; Bob Moore, bass; Bill Pursell, piano; the Jordanaires, backing vocals.
From the album George Jones with Love, 1971. Produced by Bob Moore in Nashville.
Meet the Cats
Best known for his harmonica technique—distinguished by speed, clarity, and exceptional phrasing, Charlie McCoy is a multi-instrumentalist who has been recorded on bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion, saxophone, trumpet, and tuba.
Charlie Daniels proved pivotal to many of the Nashville recording sessions of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. Because Daniels had a strong blues influence, Johnston felt he would fit with the adventurous singer-songwriters.
Ben Keith was a prominent Nashville pedal steel guitarist and dobro specialist before becoming a producer and instrumentalist for Neil Young.
One of country music’s most admired and influential steel guitarists, Weldon Myrick taught himself to play lap steel and, at age thirteen, landed a job on a radio station near his hometown of Jayton, Texas.
Mac Gayden grew up fascinated by the R&B acts he heard in his hometown of Nashville. That interest helped him develop a style as a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter distinctly different from other Nashville studio pros.
Lloyd Green developed an emotional, resonant style of pedal steel guitar playing that gave him a distinct sound apart from other top steel specialists.
At age eighteen, Pete Drake heard steel guitarist Jerry Byrd on the Grand Ole Opry during a trip to Nashville. Duly inspired, Drake purchased a steel guitar in an Atlanta pawnshop. The decision not only changed his life, but impacted the sound of country and rock music.
Pig Robbins earned his stripes by creating the rocking piano on George Jones’s “White Lightnin’.” Over the ensuing decades, his integral role on Music Row recording sessions earned him membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
In his distinctive fiddle style, Buddy Spicher combined a rich tonal quality with bluegrass precision and an adventurous sense of swing. After arriving in Nashville, he quickly gained attention as a dazzling instrumentalist capable of handling country, jazz, pop, and rock.
Inspired by Country Music Hall of Fame members Chet Atkins and Earl Scruggs, Wayne Moss’s iconic guitar riffs helped forge the identifiable sounds of country and rock hits.
Norbert Putnam is a widely admired bassist, record producer, and studio owner. He started his career in his teens recording with soul singer Arthur Alexander at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, as part of a renowned rhythm section that included keyboardist David Briggs and drummer Jerry Carrigan.
Grady Martin was a member of a loose collection of legendary studio musicians known as the Nashville A-team. His versatility and creativity as a guitarist also appealed to younger rockers and singer-songwriters who came to Nashville.
David Briggs began playing piano on R&B, pop, and country hits in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in his teens. After a brief stint as a pop singer, Briggs moved to Nashville in 1964 to focus on a career as a studio musician.
Three-time Grammy winner Jerry Reed is most famous for his colorful, catchy story songs steeped in Southern attitude and lore. He was recognized as a groundbreaking guitarist with a guitar technique that gave an extra layer of funky, back-country grease.
The preferred drummer for artists across America—he built a lasting legacy with his work in R&B and rock.
Fred Carter Jr. began his career in northeastern Louisiana playing rock & roll. He backed Dale Hawkins, known for his rock hit “Susie-Q,” and later played with Ronnie Hawkins, Dale’s cousin, in his backing group, the Hawks. Carter left and was replaced by Robbie Robertson before the group evolved into the Band.