Pat Torpey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pat Torpey
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Torpey in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Patrick Allan Torpey |
| Born | December 13, 1953 Painesville, Ohio, US ) |
| Died | February 7, 2018 (aged 64) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter |
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| Years active | 1980–2018 |
Patrick Allan Torpey (born December 13, 1953 – died February 7, 2018) was an American drummer and singer. He was most famous as the drummer and backing singer for the rock band Mr. Big. Pat also played drums for many other famous artists. These included John Parr, Belinda Carlisle, and Robert Plant. He also recorded music with bands like Impellitteri and Ted Nugent.
Pat Torpey passed away at 64 years old. His death on February 7, 2018, was due to problems from Parkinson's disease.
Contents
Pat Torpey's Early Life and Music Journey
Growing Up and Finding Drums
Pat Torpey was born in Painesville, Ohio, on December 13, 1953. He first became interested in drumming as a young child. He saw a drummer in a polka band at a local picnic. This made him want to play drums too.
In high school, Pat joined all the music programs. He played in concert, orchestra, marching, and stage bands. He said, "I wanted to play every kind of percussion." For his 13th birthday, he convinced his mom to buy him a used drum kit. His family later moved to Phoenix, Arizona. There, he practiced a lot and played in different local bands.
Starting His Professional Career
In 1983, Pat Torpey moved to Los Angeles, California. He joined a softball league for people in entertainment. Through this, he met new friends and found music jobs. He often played drums on TV shows like American Bandstand and Solid Gold. He performed with artists like Ben E. King and Melissa Manchester.
In 1985, Pat successfully tried out for British pop-rock singer John Parr. John Parr had a number one hit song called "St. Elmo's Fire". Pat then toured with John Parr, opening for Tina Turner. After that tour, Pat became the drummer for Belinda Carlisle on her first solo tour. They opened shows for Robert Palmer.
In 1987, Pat was working on a TV show with Roger Daltrey. Bobby Colomby from Blood, Sweat & Tears asked him to do some studio work. Bobby was producing songs for The Knack, and their drummer had just left. Pat loved their music and joined the band.
Pat Torpey and Mr. Big
Becoming Famous with Mr. Big
While touring with The Knack, Pat Torpey was noticed by Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert. They were looking for a drummer for their new band, which would become Mr. Big. Pat loved playing with The Knack, but he was excited to join Billy and Paul.
Mr. Big signed a record deal with Atlantic Records. Before they started their first album, Pat got a special chance. He was asked to play drums with Robert Plant (from Led Zeppelin) on his Now and Zen tour. Robert Plant's drummer was injured. Pat said, "Led Zeppelin was a huge influence." The guys in Mr. Big understood it was a great chance and let him go.
Mr. Big first became very popular in Japan. They became famous worldwide in 1991 with their second album, Lean into It. This album had the acoustic song "To Be with You". This song was played a lot on radio and MTV. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. For 14 years, Mr. Big toured all over the world. They played their own shows and opened for bands like Aerosmith and Rush. They were known for their amazing musical skills and live shows.
Mr. Big Reunites
In January 2009, Pat Torpey got back together with his Mr. Big bandmates. These were Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, and Billy Sheehan. They went on a reunion tour. In 2010, they recorded a new album called What If.... They toured the world again in 2011 to support the new album.
Pat continued to tour and record with Mr. Big for two more albums. These were ...The Stories We Could Tell (2014) and Defying Gravity (2017). Even though he faced health problems later on, he remained a very important part of the band until his death in 2018.
Other Music Projects
Pat Torpey was also known for being a great backing vocalist. He had a wide vocal range. He often sang cover songs during Mr. Big's shows. He also sang songs by The Beatles during his drum solos. Because Mr. Big was so popular in Japan and Asia, Pat released two solo albums there. These were Odd Man Out (1998) and Odd Man Out: Y2K (1999).
In 2002, Pat played drums for a reformed version of the band Montrose. They had a memorable first show in Los Angeles. This show honored Ozzy Osbourne and Mötley Crüe drummer Randy Castillo.
In 2004, Pat toured with Richie Kotzen as his drummer. He also played with Billy Sheehan on Johnny Hiland's first album. Pat also rejoined The Knack in the same year.
At the end of 2006, Pat joined "The Exile Social Club." This band played old Rock'n'Roll hits. It included Chuck Wright and Jason Hook.
Pat Torpey also gave live drumming lessons and clinics. He did these for Tama drums in many countries, including Japan, Russia, and China. He made two instructional videos. One was called Big Drums, where he played Mr. Big songs with Billy Sheehan. The other was Rock Groove Drumming, which showed his drumming techniques.
Pat Torpey's Health and Passing
On July 25, 2014, Pat Torpey announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This meant he would not be able to do all his usual drumming duties on Mr. Big's 2014–15 world tour. This tour was for their album ...The Stories We Could Tell.
Pat said, "I've been dealing with Parkinson's symptoms for a couple of years." He added that he would fight the disease with the same strength he used for drumming and living. He planned to keep recording and performing as much as he could.
For Mr. Big's last album, Defying Gravity, Pat was a "drum producer." He also played drums and percussion on some songs. On tour, he played percussion, while Matt Starr mostly took over as the main drummer.
Pat Torpey passed away from problems related to Parkinson's disease. He was 64 years old when he died on February 7, 2018.
Discography
Solo Albums
- Odd Man Out (1998)
- Odd Man Out: Y2K (1999)
With Impellitteri
- Stand in Line (1988)
With Mr. Big
- Mr. Big (1989)
- Lean into It (1991)
- Bump Ahead (1993)
- Hey Man (1996)
- Get Over It (1999)
- Actual Size (2001)
- What If... (2011)
- ...The Stories We Could Tell (2014)
- Defying Gravity (2017)
With The Knack
- Normal as the Next Guy (2001)
Other Recordings and Guest Appearances
- Jeff Paris - Race to Paradise (1986)
- Stan Bush & Barrage - Stan Bush & Barrage (1987)
- Mötley Crüe - Girls, Girls, Girls (1987)
- Ted Nugent - If You Can't Lick 'Em...Lick 'Em (1988)
- Razor Baby - Too Hot to Handle (1988)
- Michael Thompson Band - How Long (1989)
- Andrew Ridgeley - Son of Albert (1990)
- Frederiksen/Phillips - Frederiksen/Phillips (1995)
- Akira Takasaki - Wa (1996)
- Honey - Paradise (1997)
- Paul Gilbert - King of Clubs (1998)
- Niacin - High Bias (1998)
- Velocity - Impact (1998)
- Richie Kotzen - What Is... (1998)
- Stream - Nothing Is Sacred (1999)
- Velocity - Activator (2001)
- Hideki - Punk Drunker (2002)
- Richie Kotzen - Change (2003)
- Johnny Hiland - Johnny Hiland (2004)
- Chuck Wright's Sheltering Sky - Chuck Wright's Sheltering Sky (2022)
Images for kids
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Pat Torpey playing drums with Mr. Big.
See also
In Spanish: Pat Torpey para niños
