Peter York (born 15 August 1942 in

Redcar Redcar is a seaside town on the Yorkshire Coast in the Redcar and Cleveland unitary authority in the county of North Yorkshire, England. It is located east of Middlesbrough. The Teesside built-up area's Redcar subdivision had a population of ...

, Yorkshire, England) is a

British rock British rock describes a wide variety of forms of music made in the United Kingdom. Since around 1964, with the "British Invasion" of the United States spearheaded by the Beatles, British rock music has had a considerable impact on the develop ...

drummer who has been performing since the 1960s.

Biography

Born in

, he attended the

Nottingham High School , motto_translation = Praise to the end , address = Waverley Mount , city = Nottingham , county = Nottinghamshire , postcode = NG7 4ED , country = England , coordinates = , type = Independent day school , established = , closed = , religious ...

and learnt to play the trumpet and

snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...

in a school band, he also attended

Trent College Trent College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school located in Long Eaton, Derbyshire between Nottingham and Derby. Founded in 1868 as a local ’middle class alternative’ to the more famous public schools, it is now a coedu ...

. Upon leaving school he embarked on a commercial apprenticeship. He was one of the original members of the

Spencer Davis Group The Spencer Davis Group were a British band formed in Birmingham in 1963 by Spencer Davis (guitar), brothers Steve Winwood (keyboards, guitar) and Muff Winwood (bass guitar), and Pete York (drums). Their best known songs include the UK numbe ...

, along with

Spencer Davis Spencer Davis (born Spencer David Nelson Davies; 17 July 193919 October 2020) was a Welsh singer and musician. He founded The Spencer Davis Group, a band that had several hits in the 1960s including "Keep On Running", "Gimme Some Lovin'", and ...

and the brothers Steve and

Muff Winwood Mervyn "Muff" Winwood (born 15 June 1943, Erdington, Birmingham, England) is a British songwriter and record producer, and the older brother of Steve Winwood. Both were members of the Spencer Davis Group in the 1960s, in which Muff Winwood pla ...

. York stayed with the band until 1969. He left the Spencer Davis Group to form Hardin and York with

Eddie Hardin Eddie Hardin (19 February 1949 – 22 July 2015) was an English rock pianist and singer-songwriter. Born Edward Harding, he was best known for his associations with the Spencer Davis Group, Axis Point, and Hardin & York. Hardin, along with the ...

. They played as Hardin York at Rockpalast.

Eric Clapton's Powerhouse The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...

was a short lived

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

band in 1966. It starred

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

(guitar), and featured Paul Jones (harmonica) and

Jack Bruce John Symon Asher Bruce (14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014) was a Scottish bassist, singer-songwriter, musician and composer. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and ‍bassist ‍of British rock band Cream. After the group disbande ...

(bass),

Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a keyboard player and vocalist prominent for his disti ...

(vocals) with York (drums), and Ben Palmer (piano). Under the name of The Blueshounds (with Roger Hill, guitar, and Graham Gallery, bass) he backed New Orleans singer and piano player

Cousin Joe Pleasant Joseph, known as Cousin Joe, (December 20, 1907 — October 2, 1989) was a New Orleans blues and jazz singer, famous for his 1940s recordings with Sidney Bechet and Mezz Mezzrow. Life He was born in Wallace, Louisiana, United States, an ...

on his 1974 album "Soul-shouting Bluesman from New Orleans" ( Big Bear Records). In the 80s he fronted an all-star band called Olympic Rock & Blues Circus featuring a rotating line-up of the likes of

Jon Lord John Douglas Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English orchestral and rock composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player known for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical or baroque forms, especially with the British rock band Deep ...

, Miller Anderson,

Tony Ashton Edward Anthony Ashton (1 March 1946 – 28 May 2001) was an English rock pianist, keyboardist, singer, composer, producer and artist. Biography Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, Ashton spent his formative years in the seaside town of Blackpool whe ...

Brian Auger Brian Albert Gordon Auger (born 18 July 1939) is an English jazz rock and rock music keyboardist who specialises in the Hammond organ. Auger has worked with Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Sonny Boy Williamson, an ...

Zoot Money George Bruno Money (born 17 July 1942) is an English vocalist, keyboardist and bandleader. He is best known for his playing of the Hammond organ and association with his Big Roll Band. Inspired by Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles, he was drawn ...

Colin Hodgkinson Colin Hodgkinson (born 14 October 1945, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England) is a British rock, jazz and blues bassist, who has been active since the 1960s. Career Hodgkinson played in several bands, but was even more prolific as a sessio ...

Chris Farlowe Chris Farlowe (born John Henry Deighton, 13 October 1940) is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single " Out of Time" written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, which rose to No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in 196 ...

and many others. Olympic Rock & Blues Circus toured primarily in Germany, in 1981/82 and 1989, and also appeared sporadically in the UK under the name Endangered Species. In February 1987, York started his first series of "Superdrumming" featuring

Ian Paice Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer and last remaining original member of the rock band Deep Purple. He is often cited as one of the greatest drummers of all-time. He remains the only member ...

Louie Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...

Cozy Powell Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English rock drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Robert Plant, ...

Gerry Brown Gerry “The Gov.” Brown is a recording engineer, mixer and music producer based in Los Angeles, best known for his work with artists including Whitney Houston, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Sting, Prince, Phil Collins, Marcu ...

and Simon Phillips. The next year, 1988, the second series of "Superdrumming" featured

Billy Cobham William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a Panamanian Americans, Panamanian–American jazz drummer who came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He was indu ...

Bill Bruford William Scott Bruford (born 17 May 1949) is an English former drummer and percussionist who first gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock band Yes. After leaving Yes in 1972, Bruford spent the rest of the 1970s recording ...

Dave Mattacks David James Mattacks (born 13 March 1948) is an English rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician and as a performing artist. Apart from playing the drums, he i ...

Zak Starkey Zak Richard Starkey (born 13 September 1965) is an English rock drummer who has performed and recorded with English rock band the Who since 1996. He is also the third drummer to have appeared with English rock band Oasis. In 2020, Starkey toure ...

Nicko McBrain Michael Henry "Nicko" McBrain (born 5 June 1952) is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden since 1982. Having played in small pub bands since 1966 from the age of 14, McBrain paid his bills after grad ...

and

. The third series of "Superdrumming" featured

Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later form ...

Steve Ferrone Steve Ferrone (born 25 April 1950) is an English drummer. He is known as a member of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from 1994 to 2017, replacing original drummer Stan Lynch, and as part of the "classic lineup" of the Average Whi ...

Mark Brzezicki Mark Michael Brzezicki ( , ; born 21 June 1957) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for the Scottish rock band Big Country. He has also played with the Cult, Ultravox, From the Jam, Procol Harum, Rick Astley, the Crazy World of A ...

Trilok Gurtu Trilok Gurtu (born 30 October 1951) is an Indian percussionist and composer whose work has blended the music of India with jazz fusion and world music. He has worked with Terje Rypdal, Gary Moore, John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinul, M ...

and the return of

. The band on this series featured Miller Anderson,

and Barbara Thompson. In 1989,

was musical director for the thirteen-part film retrospective series ''Villa Fantastica'', made for German TV. A live recording of the series, '' Super Jam'' (1990), featured Brian Auger on piano, York on drums,

Dick Morrissey Richard Edwin Morrissey (9 May 1940 – 8 November 2000) was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute. Biography Background He was born in Horley, Surrey, England. Dick Morrissey emerg ...

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...

, Roy Williams on

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...

, Harvey Weston on bass guitar, plus the singers

and

Maria Muldaur Maria Muldaur (born Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D'Amato; September 12, 1942) is an American folk and blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s. She recorded the 1973 hit song "Midnight at the Oasis" and has ...

. In 1990, the fourth series of "Superdrumming" was held in Freiburg, Germany with drummers

and York.

York has played drums for German entertainer and jazz musician

Helge Schneider Helge Schneider (born 30 August 1955 in Mülheim an der Ruhr) is a German entertainer, comedian, musician, author, film and theatre director, and actor. He frequently appears on German television and is probably best known for his song "Katzeklo ...

several times since 2004, both on Schneider's recordings and on tour. York also acted in Schneider's film ''Jazzclub''. York participated in the 'Drum Legends' project with

Herman Rarebell Herman Rarebell (born 18 November 1949 as Hermann Josef Erbel) is a German musician, best known as the drummer for the hard rock band Scorpions from 1977 to 1995, during which time he played on eight studio albums. Aside from playing drums, Rare ...

, where they released a live CD and DVD along with jazz drummer

Charly Antolini Charly Antolini (born 24 May 1937) is a Swiss jazz drummer. Career Born in Zürich, Antolini started playing the traditional Swiss Basler drum. In 1956, he went to Paris, where he played with Sidney Bechet and Bill Coleman. He joined the Tre ...

Discography

With The Spencer Davis Group

* ''Their First LP'' (1965) * ''The Second Album'' (1966) * ''Autumn '66'' (1966) * ''Gimme Some Lovin (1967) * ''I'm A Man'' (1967) * ''Here We Go 'Round The Mulberry Bush OST'' (1968, with Traffic) * ''Heavies'' (1969) * ''With Their New Face On'' (1968) * ''Gluggo'' (1973) * ''Living in a Back Street'' (1974) * ''Catch You on the Rebop – Live in Europe '73'' (1995) * ''Somebody Help Me: The Best of 1964–1968'' (2001) * ''Live in Manchester 2002'' (2002)

With Hardin & York

* ''Tomorrow Today'' Bell SBLL125 (1969) * ''The World's Smallest Big Band'' Bell SBLL136 (1970) * ''For The World'' Bell SBLL141 (1971) * ''Hardin & York with Charlie McCracken'' Vertigo 6360622 (1974) * ''Hardin & New York'' Teldec 624595 (1979) * ''Live At The Marquee 1971'' RPM RPM135 (1994) * ''Hardin & York Live'' Repertoire REP 4459-WY (1994) 1970 recording, previously a bootleg * ''Still A Few Pages Left'' RPM Thunderbird CSA 106 (1995)

Reissues

* ''For The World'' See For Miles (1985) * ''Tomorrow Today'' Repertoire REP 4481-WY (1994) * ''World Smallest Big Band'' Repertoire REP 4482-WY (1994)

Other recordings

* Nazareth – ''Nazareth'' (1971) * Jon Lord – ''Windows'' (1974) * Eddie Playboy Taylor & The Blueshounds – ''Ready for Eddie'' (1975) * Jon Lord – ''Sarabande'' (1976) * Rick Sanders/Pete York/Steve Richardson – ''String Time'' (1983) * Pete York/"Wolfhound" Wolfgang Schmid/Lenny Mac Dowell – ''Once Upon A Time... Der Rattenfänger Von Hameln ''(1983) * Pete York/"Wolfhound" Wolfgang Schmid/Lenny Mac Dowell – ''Wireless'' (1984) * Spencer Davis/Pete York/Colin Hodgkinson – ''Live Together'' (1985) * Brian Auger/Pete York/Colin Hodgkinson – ''Steaming'' (1985) * Chris Farlowe/Spencer Davis/Pete York/Colin Hodgkinson/Zoot Money/Miller Anderson – ''Extremely Live At Birmingham Town Hall'' (1988) * Jon Lord – ''Pictured Within'' (1998) * Jon Lord – ''Beyond the Notes'' (2004) * GoodTimes-All-Star-Band – ''Good Times Songs'' (2009) * Helge und Band – ''Komm Hier Haste Ne Mark! Live'' (2011) * Jon Lord Blues Project – ''Live'' (2011)

Solo projects

* The Pete York Percussion Band – ''The Pete York Percussion Band'' (1972) * Pete York's New York – ''Into the Furnace'' (1980) * Pete York's New York – ''What's the Racket'' (1981) * Olympic Rock & Blues Circus – ''Olympic Rock & Blues Circus'' (1981) * ''Open Road'' (1981) * Pete York's New York – ''Pete York's New York'' (1983) * ''Super Drumming Vol. 1'' (1987) * ''Super Drumming Vol. 2'' (1989) * ''Super Drumming Vol. 3'' (1990) * ''String Time in New York'' (1990) *'' Superblues'' (1994) *'' Swinging Hollywood'' (1994) * Pete York's Blue Jive Five – ''Live – Listen Here!'' (1996) * Pete York's Blue Jive Five – ''Live – Second Set'' (1998) * Pete York Jazz Stars – ''Live & Swinging'' (1998) * The Pete York Percussion Band – ''Extension 345 – Live 1974'' (2005) * Herman Rarebell/Pete York/Charly Antolini – ''Drum Legends – Live 2005'' (2007) * Pete York & Young Friends – ''Basiecally Speaking'' (2013)

References

External links

* *
Pete York at Drummerworld.com
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:York, Pete 1942 births English rock drummers British male drummers English session musicians People from Redcar Living people British rhythm and blues boom musicians ACT Music artists The Spencer Davis Group members Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse members