Jerry Shirley
Encyclopedia
Jerry Shirley is an English
rock
drummer
, best known for his work with the rock
band
Humble Pie
and appeared on all their albums. He is also known for his associations with Fastway
, Joey Molland from Badfinger
, David Gilmour
, Alexis Korner
, Billy Nicholls
, Syd Barrett
, John Entwistle
, Sammy Hagar
and Benny Mardones
to join the newly-formed Humble Pie when he was just 17 years old. Shirley remained as Humble Pie's drummer throughout the group's entire career. He also worked on Steve Marriott's solo projects, and was a co-founder of the popular 1980s group Fastway
. Shirley co-wrote Fastway's biggest hit, "Say What You Will".
After Fastway disbanded, Shirley reformed Humble Pie in the United States and appeared as the only original group member under the name Humble Pie Featuring Jerry Shirley, along with vocalist Charlie Huhn
. They performed as this band with a fluid lineup, for ten years, when Humble Pie disbanded once more. During this period, Shirley also worked as a disc jockey
at WNCX
, a classic rock
station in Cleveland
, Ohio
.
Shirley returned to the UK
in 1999. In 2000 he reformed Humble Pie with their original bassist Greg Ridley
and mid-period former band member, guitarist and vocalist Bobby Tench
. He also appeared in a memorial concert for former Humble Pie bandmate, Steve Marriott
. More recently he has performed with the Deborah Bonham Band.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, best known for his work with the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
and appeared on all their albums. He is also known for his associations with Fastway
Fastway (band)
Fastway is a British heavy metal band formed by guitarist, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, formerly of Motörhead, and bassist, Pete Way, formerly of UFO.-Career:...
, Joey Molland from Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
, David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
, Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner was a blues musician and radio broadcaster, who has sometimes been referred to as "a Founding Father of British Blues"...
, Billy Nicholls
Billy Nicholls
Billy Nicholls is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and musical director, who first gained fame in the 1960s while still a teenager with his Pet Sounds influenced album, Would You Believe, originally released on Immediate Records.Nicholls' compositions have been covered by many...
, Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
, John Entwistle
John Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
, Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar
Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
and Benny Mardones
Benny Mardones
Benny Mardones is an American pop singer and songwriter who is best known for his hit single "Into the Night", which hit the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice, in 1980 and again in 1989.-Career:...
Career
Shirley began playing drums at an early age and was recruited by noted vocalist and guitarist Steve MarriottSteve Marriott
Stephen Peter Marriott , popularly known as Steve Marriott, was an English musician, songwriter, and frontman of several notable rock and roll bands, spanning over two decades...
to join the newly-formed Humble Pie when he was just 17 years old. Shirley remained as Humble Pie's drummer throughout the group's entire career. He also worked on Steve Marriott's solo projects, and was a co-founder of the popular 1980s group Fastway
Fastway (band)
Fastway is a British heavy metal band formed by guitarist, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, formerly of Motörhead, and bassist, Pete Way, formerly of UFO.-Career:...
. Shirley co-wrote Fastway's biggest hit, "Say What You Will".
After Fastway disbanded, Shirley reformed Humble Pie in the United States and appeared as the only original group member under the name Humble Pie Featuring Jerry Shirley, along with vocalist Charlie Huhn
Charlie Huhn
Charlie Huhn is an American rock singer and guitarist. He got his start playing with Vic Amato, Andy Dennen and Al Lesert in the band Cirrus, in and around Grand Rapids, Michigan playing many gigs in West Michigan before joining Ted Nugent in 1978....
. They performed as this band with a fluid lineup, for ten years, when Humble Pie disbanded once more. During this period, Shirley also worked as a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
at WNCX
WNCX
WNCX — branded 98.5 WNCX — is commercial radio station in Cleveland, Ohio, broadcasting a classic rock format. The station's studios are currently located in Cleveland's historic Halle Building, in the Playhouse Square District...
, a classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
station in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Shirley returned to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1999. In 2000 he reformed Humble Pie with their original bassist Greg Ridley
Greg Ridley
Alfred Gregory 'Greg' Ridley was one of the more visible rock bassists in England, and a founding member of the successful rock band Humble Pie...
and mid-period former band member, guitarist and vocalist Bobby Tench
Bobby Tench
Robert Tench , also known as Bob Tench, Bobby Tench and Bobby Gass is a British vocalist and guitarist. Originally a bass player he began singing with Gass influenced by artists such as Sam Cooke and Ray Charles...
. He also appeared in a memorial concert for former Humble Pie bandmate, Steve Marriott
Steve Marriott
Stephen Peter Marriott , popularly known as Steve Marriott, was an English musician, songwriter, and frontman of several notable rock and roll bands, spanning over two decades...
. More recently he has performed with the Deborah Bonham Band.
Further reading
- Shirley, Jerry and Cohan, Jon. Best Seat in the House: Drumming in the '70s with Marriott, Frampton, and Humble Pie. Rebeats Press (2011). ISBN 978-1-888408-13-3.