Dannie Richmond

Dannie Richmond (15 December 1935–15 March 1988) was an American drummer who was best known among jazz fans for his work with Charles Mingus, and among pop fans for his work with Joe Cocker, Elton John and Mark-Almond.

Richmond was born in New York, and started playing tenor saxophone at the age of thirteen; he went on to play R&B with the Paul Williams band in 1955. His career took off when he took up the drums, though, through the formation of what was to be a twenty-one year association with Charles Mingus. That association continued after Mingus' death when Richmond became the first musical director of the group Mingus Dynasty in 1980.

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