Rhys Clark
Encyclopedia
Rhys Edward Clark is an Australian drummer who has played with such artists as Hoyt Axton
, Freddy Fender
, and most notably Billy Joel
, backing him on drums from 1971 to 1975 and also playing on his albums Cold Spring Harbor
and Piano Man
. He was the drummer on his breakthrough radio concert broadcast on WMMR-FM on 15 April 1972, and concert at the Mar y Sol Festival
two weeks prior. After his time with Joel he ultimately hooked up with Hoyt Axton in 1979 and played with him for a number of years in the 1980's.
Clark's career began in 1963, when he became drummer for the Auckland-based pop band The Silhouettes. He was also a founding member of the late 1960's Australian pop band The Executives, founded in 1966 after he left the Silhouettes. He was their drummer until late 1969, when after an American tour the Executives disbanded, and Clark stayed in the United States and became a Los Angeles
based session musician.
As of mid-2011, he is currently playing drums for the southern California based Michael Chain Band.
Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
, Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender , born Baldemar Garza Huerta in San Benito, Texas, United States, was a Mexican-American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados...
, and most notably Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, backing him on drums from 1971 to 1975 and also playing on his albums Cold Spring Harbor
Cold Spring Harbor (album)
Cold Spring Harbor was Billy Joel's first solo album, and was released in 1971. He had already released several albums as a member of the bands The Hassles and Attila...
and Piano Man
Piano Man (album)
Piano Man is a rock album by Billy Joel, released in 1973. Piano Man, Joel's second album and his first with Columbia Records, emerged out of legal difficulties with his former label, Family Productions, and became his breakthrough album...
. He was the drummer on his breakthrough radio concert broadcast on WMMR-FM on 15 April 1972, and concert at the Mar y Sol Festival
Mar y sol festival
The Mar y Sol Festival was a Woodstock-like music festival that took place in Manatí, Puerto Rico, on April 1–3, 1972. It was held on of countryside by Los Tubos beach in Vega Baja on the north shore of the island....
two weeks prior. After his time with Joel he ultimately hooked up with Hoyt Axton in 1979 and played with him for a number of years in the 1980's.
Clark's career began in 1963, when he became drummer for the Auckland-based pop band The Silhouettes. He was also a founding member of the late 1960's Australian pop band The Executives, founded in 1966 after he left the Silhouettes. He was their drummer until late 1969, when after an American tour the Executives disbanded, and Clark stayed in the United States and became a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
based session musician.
As of mid-2011, he is currently playing drums for the southern California based Michael Chain Band.
Partial Discography
- 1968 - The Executives - Now!
- 1971 - Billy JoelBilly JoelWilliam Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
- Cold Spring HarborCold Spring Harbor (album)Cold Spring Harbor was Billy Joel's first solo album, and was released in 1971. He had already released several albums as a member of the bands The Hassles and Attila... - 1971 - Kyle - Times That Try A Man's Soul
- 1972 - Captain BeefheartCaptain BeefheartDon Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
- The Spotlight KidThe Spotlight KidThe Spotlight Kid is the sixth album by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, originally released in 1972. It is the only album formally credited solely to Captain Beefheart. Often cited as one of the most accessible of Beefheart's albums, it is solidly founded in the blues but also uses... - 1973 - Billy JoelBilly JoelWilliam Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
- Piano ManPiano Man (album)Piano Man is a rock album by Billy Joel, released in 1973. Piano Man, Joel's second album and his first with Columbia Records, emerged out of legal difficulties with his former label, Family Productions, and became his breakthrough album... - 1981 - Hoyt AxtonHoyt AxtonHoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
- Live! - 1982 - Hoyt AxtonHoyt AxtonHoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
- Pistol Packin' Mama - 2005 - Billy JoelBilly JoelWilliam Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
- My LivesMy LivesMy Lives is a box set compilation of demos, outtakes, B-sides, soundtrack cuts, live recordings and album cuts by American singer/songwriter Billy Joel. It was released on November 22, 2005...