Andrea
I have come across many drummers, but there are some you will just never forget. One such artist is Brian Bennet. This drummer is not just talented; he has a thing for drummers that makes him stand out from all the rest. His drumming skills are so unique that he can only compare to some of the legends you may already know in the world of drumming.
Brian Bennett was in London in 1940. He started playing drums at a very young age and became so good so fast that by the end of the ’50s, he was already one of the most sought-after drummers. His hands were flexible with percussion instruments, which made him one with the instruments. He lived at the legendary ‘2 I s’ in Soho, where he could visit Jack Good’s TV show called Oh Boy. There are not very many drummers who had such a privilege, which exposed him to a wide world of new and better opportunities.
After many successful sessions, Cliff Richard in 1961 asked the drummer to become a member of The Shadows. As part of the group, he wrote many hit songs that we can still hear today. These include Summer Holiday, Wonderful Life, and Finders Keepers. Bennet crafted the drum solo “Little B” that became one of the world’s best performances. It was a must-see in every Beat-Drummer during the pre-Beatles time.
As he continued sharpening his skills, Bennet built a name for himself in a very short time. He became Cliff Richard’s musical director in the ’70s and also created The Brian Bennett Orchestra at the same time. During this period, he started touring the world – one of his most famous trips being the first concerts in Russia.
Brian Bennett was not only a talented percussionist. He was also a remarkable arranger, conductor, and producer who had worked on many records already. The mid-’70s found him a sharp and in-demand musical genius. Apart from making music, he was also a composer for film and television.
Bennett received his second Novello award after working in the music industry for 25 years in ’80. He was at the same time a busy writer and recording producer on many programs. Some of the programs he worked for included The Royal Wedding, BBC Golf theme, The Sweeny, Landing, Pulaski, and many others. The drummer then received his third Ivor Novello award when he wrote The Ruth Rendell Mysteries.
The award was for the Best Score for A TV Series. He was more sought-after between 1990 and 2000 than any other musician. He got to work with series like The Knock, Nomads of the Wind, Global Sunrise, and Dirty Work. Bennett received the Gold Badge Award in 2001 from the British Academy of Composers and SongWriters Society.
He also went on to win the Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards for 2000 and 2001 as the Best Original Music for Murder in Mind. The drummer also received the OBE in HM in 2004. It’s the Queen’s Birthday Honors list for great service in music. In recent years, he has continued to write for many TV and music programs. He now lives and works in Hertfordshire in his recording studio.
