James Gadson, a prolific drummer who worked closely with Bill Withers and as a member of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, which performed hits such as Diana Ross's “Love Hangover,” Marvin Gaye's “I Want You” and Gloria Gaynor's “I Will Survive,” died Thursday, according to Rolling Stone. He was 86 years old.
Rolling Stone did not say where Gadson died or specify the cause, but said the drummer's wife, Barbara, had confirmed the news; He told the magazine that Gadson had recently suffered a fall and had undergone surgery.
Described by the Roots' Questlove as “definite breakbeats,” Gadson was known for a funky, laid-back style, best exemplified perhaps by his performance on Withers' 1972 “Use Me,” in which he somehow seems to keep finding room for an extra groove. Forty years later, Kendrick Lamar borrowed Gadson's intricate rhythmic pattern for “Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst,” from the rapper's hit 2012 album, “Good Kid, MAAD City.”
On “Love Hangover,” which topped Billboard's Hot 100 in 1976, Gadson's drums feature production that transitions from a lush soul ballad to a playful disco beat; Gaye and his producer Leon Ware took a similar hit from the drummer with “I Want You,” which reached No. 1 on the R&B charts in 1976 and was later interpolated by Lamar into his Grammy-winning song “The Heart Part 5.”
Among the many other songs from the '70s featuring Gadson were Jackson 5's “Dancing Machine,” Cheryl Lynn's “Got to Be Real,” Smokey Robinson's “Cruisin',” Yvonne Elliman's “If I Can't Have You,” Tavares' “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel,” Peaches & Herb's “Shake Your Groove Thing,” and Thelma Houston's “Don't Leave Me This.” I walk.” In later years he worked with the likes of Beck, D'Angelo, Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, Harry Styles and Sturgill Simpson.
Gadson was born June 17, 1939, and grew up in Kansas City. His father was a drummer and when Gadson and his brother were teenagers they played in a doo-wop group called Carpets. Gadson moved to Los Angeles in the mid-'60s after a stint in the Air Force and joined the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, led by singer-guitarist Charles Wright; the group scored hits like “Do Your Thing” and “Express Yourself,” the latter of which NWA would eventually sample their song of the same name from 1989's “Straight Outta Compton.”
In the early '70s, Gadson and several other members of the Watts band left the group and joined Withers (who had already released “Ain't No Sunshine”) to make their album “Still Bill.” In addition to “Use Me,” the LP spins off the hit single “Lean on Me,” which reached number one and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Gadson backed Withers in 1972 for a concert at Carnegie Hall that was recorded for a classical live album; The album begins with a version of “Use Me” that extends beyond eight minutes.
Although Gadson's opportunity to launch a solo career around the same time did not pan out, he quickly became an in-demand session drummer, particularly for acts signed to the Motown label, which had just moved to Los Angeles from its original home in Detroit. He played on Motown records by the Temptations, Miracles, 5th Dimension and the Supremes' Mary Wilson; Over the following decades, he also worked with Philip Bailey, Anita Baker, Ray Charles, Leonard Cohen, Norah Jones and Lana Del Rey.
On Friday, jazz guitarist Jeff Parker wrote on Instagram about his experiences playing with Gadson.
“The last time we met, he saw me staring in awe at his drums; he knew there had to be a LOT of history there,” Parker recalled. “He looked at me and said, 'Jeff, that's my disco kit.' I said, 'Are those the drums from “Love Hangover”?' He nodded and said: 'They are the drums for many records.'”
