Hal Blaine

Playing drums on The Ronettes "Be My Baby," is enough for Hal Baine to be called one of the best drummers of all time, landing at number five on our list. But, Hal Blaine did so much more with Sinatra, the Beach Boys, Elvis, and the Supremes. Born Harold Simon Belsky, Hal was the leader of the Wrecking Crew, a group of Los Angeles session players that dominated the studio scene in the '60s and '70s.

That made Hal Blaine the most recorded drummer in history, losing count around the 35,000 mark. Blaine drummed one of the most recognizable beats in popular music in Phil Spector's "Wall Of Sound." However, Blaine will be remembered for his adaptability to any session, and he didn't need to use a conventional kit. For example, on the Beach Boy's "Caroline, No," he played on water jugs, and on "Bridge Over Troubled Water," with Simon & Garfunkel, he pulled tire chains across a concrete floor.

Born: February 5, 1929
Died: March 11, 2019

Nationality: American