John Blackwell (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Blackwell
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| Born | September 9, 1973 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | July 4, 2017 (aged 43) Land o' Lakes, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, pop, funk, jazz fusion, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1995–2017 |
| Associated acts | Cameo, Patti LaBelle, Prince, The New Power Generation |
John Blackwell Jr. (born September 9, 1973 – died July 4, 2017) was an amazing American drummer. He was famous for his work with the music superstar Prince. Later, he also played drums for D'Angelo's band, The Vanguard. John Blackwell Jr. was known for playing many styles of music, including R&B, funk, jazz, and pop.
Contents
John Blackwell's Musical Journey
Early Life and Starting Drums
John Blackwell Jr. was born and grew up in Columbia, South Carolina. He started playing the drums when he was only three years old! His father, John Blackwell Sr., was also a drummer and taught him. His dad played with many famous musicians like Mary Wells and The Spinners.
John said that he experienced something called synesthesia as a child. This means he could see colors when he heard musical notes. He also had what's called perfect pitch, which means he could identify any musical note just by hearing it. He discovered this in high school.
Teenage Years and First Gigs
As a teenager, John played drums in his high school's jazz and marching bands. By the age of 13, he was already playing in jazz clubs! When he was 17, he got his first professional job playing with jazz singer Billy Eckstine.
After high school, John went to the Berklee College of Music. He kept playing in jazz clubs in Boston. In 1995, he left college to join the funk band Cameo. He played with them for three years.
Playing with Music Legends
In 1998, John moved to Los Angeles to find more drumming work. He soon got a job playing with the famous singer Patti LaBelle. He played with her for three years and even appeared on her 1998 album, Live! One Night Only. This album won a Grammy Award!
While playing with Patti LaBelle in Minneapolis, John met the legendary musician Prince. After touring with Japanese singer Hikaru Utada, John joined Prince's band, The New Power Generation, in September 2000.
John played with Prince for 12 years. He appeared on many of Prince's albums and DVDs, including The Rainbow Children and Musicology. He also performed with other big names like Justin Timberlake, Crystal Kay, and P Diddy. In 2008, John played at the special Buddy Rich Memorial Concert, honoring another great drummer.
Later Career and Teaching
John also played with the band Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly. In December 2009, he released his own album called The John Blackwell Project. He also created two educational drumming DVDs to teach others how to play drums.
In 2015, John joined singer D'Angelo's band, The Vanguard, for their European tour. He also toured with William "Bootsy" Collins' Bootsy's Rubber Band that same year.
John Blackwell Jr. worked with many drum companies throughout his career. He had special deals with companies like Dixon Drums, Remo Drumheads, Regal Tip Drumsticks, and Turkish Cymbals. He also worked with Tama Drums, Yamaha, Sabian Cymbals, and Zildjian Cymbals.
In 2013, John joined Chinese musician Xu Wei's band for his "At This Moment" tour. They performed in many cities across China.
His Passing
In July 2016, John Blackwell Jr. shared sad news. He had lost the use of his left arm and leg because of a brain tumor. On July 4, 2017, his wife announced that John had passed away. He was only 43 years old.
