Eddie Drennon facts for kids

Eddie Drennon, born Edward Allen Drennen in 1940, is a talented American musician. He is also a songwriter, record producer, and music arranger. Eddie Drennon plays many types of music. These include R&B, pop, disco, Latin music, salsa, jazz, and funk. He is famous for his big hit song, "Let's Do the Latin Hustle." He recorded this song in 1975 with his group, B.B.S. Unlimited. Eddie Drennon wrote, produced, and arranged this popular track himself. Other songs from that time, like "Do What You Gotta Do," have been used by modern musicians. Artists like Grandmaster Flash and Shaggy have sampled his work.

Early Life and Music Journey

Eddie Drennon was born in Newark, New Jersey, in the United States. After finishing school, he started playing with local bands. From 1959 to 1963, he studied music at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He learned how to play the violin and how to compose music.

Moving to New York City

Eddie Drennon first worked as a musician in Washington. A bandleader named Lou Perez encouraged him to move to New York City. In the mid-1960s, he moved there. He then worked with several music groups. These groups included Pupi Legarreta and Charanga America.

Working with Famous Artists

In 1966, Eddie Drennon became the music director for Bo Diddley. He played the electric violin for Bo Diddley until 1967. He also played on one song for Bo Diddley's album, His Best. Eddie Drennon also played alongside other famous musicians. These included Mongo Santamaría, Ray Barretto, and Ike & Tina Turner.

The "Latin Hustle" Hit

In 1975, Eddie Drennon started working with record producer Joe Bana. Joe Bana owned a record company called Friends & Co. Records. Eddie Drennon mixed Latin music with disco sounds. This mix led to his biggest hit, "Let's Do the Latin Hustle." This song was also the first big hit for Joe Bana's record label.

Chart Success

"Let's Do the Latin Hustle" became very popular. It reached number 36 on the US Billboard R&B chart. It also climbed to number 4 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. In March 1976, the song reached number 20 in the UK Singles Chart. Another band, the M and O Band, also released a version of the song. Their version reached number 16 in the UK chart.

Albums with B.B.S. Unlimited

Eddie Drennon and his group, B.B.S. Unlimited, recorded three albums. They released these albums between 1975 and 1979 with Casablanca Records. Music critics noted that his second album, It Don't Mean a Thing, was very good. It used a similar style to his first album, which had the hit "Latin Hustle."

Later Music and Teaching Career

Eddie Drennon continued to play the violin for recording sessions in New York. He also wrote, arranged, and produced music for other artists. For example, he worked with Esther Williams on her song "Last Night Changed It All." In the early 1980s, he produced music for a salsa and charanga band called Orquesta Novel. In 1983, he released his own album, Eddie Drennon and Charanga Soul.

Music for Films and Plays

Eddie Drennon also created music for movies and plays. He composed music for a scene in the 1993 film, In the Line of Fire. He also wrote music for a musical play in 1997 called Torn from the Headlines. His string quartet played on albums for the band Soldiers of Jah Army. These included Get Wiser and Born in Babylon.

Teaching and Current Work

In the 1980s and 1990s, Eddie Drennon shared his musical knowledge. He taught at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Howard University. He also worked as a music director at the Everyday Theater in Washington, D.C. Today, he plays with the Umoja String Quartet. He also teaches music at George Washington University and the Levine School of Music.

Discography

Albums

Singles