Ernest Carter is an American

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drums. Most contemporary western bands that play rock, pop, jazz, or R&B music include a drummer for purposes including timekeeping and embellishing the musical timbre. The drummer's ...

. He has toured and recorded with, among others,

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...

David Sancious David Sancious (born November 30, 1953) is an American musician. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group, the E Street Band, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on ''Human Touch'' (1992), '' Trac ...

, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes and

Paul Butterfield Paul Vaughn Butterfield (December 17, 1942May 4, 1987) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and band leader. After early training as a classical flautist, he developed an interest in blues harmonica. He explored the blues scene in his n ...

. During his time with Springsteen, he played the drums on the song "

Born to Run ''Born to Run'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on August 25, 1975, by Columbia Records. As his effort to break into the mainstream, the album was a commercial success, peaking at number three ...

". Able to play all forms of rock as well as

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

, Carter was formally trained and blends a variety of styles into his drumming.Charles R. Cross: ''Backstreets - Springsteen:The Man And His Music'' (1989) His successor as the drummer with the

E Street Band The E Street Band is an American rock band, and has been musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing caree ...

Max Weinberg Max Weinberg (born April 13, 1951) is an American drummer and television personality, most widely known as the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and as the bandleader for Conan O'Brien on '' Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' ...

later said that Carter devised a

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and ke ...

part for "Born to Run" that he could never reproduce in concert, and eventually stopped attempting. Although best known as a drummer, Carter is also a guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist and in 2001 he released a solo album, ''Temple of Boom'', singing and playing all of the instruments.

Early years

Carter was born and raised in

Asbury Park, New Jersey Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188

. As a teenager he excelled in

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

as well as learning to become an accomplished drummer. He gained the nickname "Boom" when police were summoned to his basement after receiving a report of gunshots being fired. When they arrived on the scene, they found the young Carter practicing his drumming. He was a childhood friend of

and in the early 1970s they moved to

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

where they worked as

session musicians Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a t ...

at Alpha Studios. They also performed in a band called Cinnamon and recorded some demos with

Garry Tallent Garry Wayne Tallent (born October 27, 1949), sometimes billed as Garry W. Tallent, is an American musician and record producer, best known for being bass player and founding member of the E Street Band, Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band si ...

. Producer/songwriter

Wes Farrell Wes Farrell (December 21, 1939 – February 29, 1996) was an American musician, songwriter and record producer, who was most active in the 1960s and 1970s. Career Farrell was born in New York, United States. Farrell's catalogue includes close ...

owned the rights to these demos and in 1976 he released them as ''David Sancious''. After Sancious and Tallent were recruited by

to help record his debut ''

Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. ''Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was produced by Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos from June through October 1972 at the budget-priced 914 Sound Studios. The album was ...

'', Carter moved to

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital city, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georgia, Fulton County, the mos ...

and then toured with Little Royal & The Swing Masters, a

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the hono ...

-influenced band.

Bruce Springsteen

In February 1974 when Vini Lopez left the

helped recruit Carter as his replacement. He auditioned for the job in a house belonging to the parents of

and then made his debut with the band on February 23 during a concert at the Satellite Lounge in

Cookstown, New Jersey Cookstown is an unincorporated community located within New Hanover Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. Located near Fort Dix, the area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08511. As of the 2000 United Sta ...

. He accompanied Springsteen during an early part of the Born to Run tour, and in August 1974 he laid down the inimitable drum track on the song "

" at the

914 Sound Studios 914 Sound Recording Studios, Inc. was a recording studio in Blauvelt, New York, incorporated by Brooks Arthur on August 28, 1970. Some of the artists who recorded tracks and albums in the studio were Bruce Springsteen, Dusty Springfield, Ramones, ...

, his only appearance on a Springsteen album. He made his final appearance with the band on August 14 at the Carlton Theater in

Red Bank, New Jersey Red Bank is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Incorporated in 1908, the community is on the Navesink River, the area's original transportation route to the ocean and other ports. Red Bank is in the New York Metropolitan ...

.Patrick Humphries and Chris Hunt: ''Springsteen - Blinded By The Light'' (1985)

David Sancious & Tone

In August 1974

and Carter left the

and, together with Gerald Carboy (bass), formed their own

band called Tone. At various times the band would also feature

Patti Scialfa Vivienne Patricia Scialfa ( ; born July 29, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Scialfa has been a member of the E Street Band since 1984 and has been married to Bruce Springsteen since 1991. In 2014, Scialfa was inducted into ...

Gayle Moran Gayle Moran (born 1943) is a vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter. She is from Spring Arbor, Michigan and graduated from Spring Arbor High School (now Spring Arbor University) in 1961. She was a member of the Mahavishnu Orchestra during the ...

and

Alex Ligertwood Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis. People Multiple *Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Harris (disambiguation), multiple peop ...

. They signed a recording contract with

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was founded predominantly as a jazz and classical m ...

and their 1975 debut album ''Forest Of Feelings'' was produced by

Billy Cobham William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a 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 inducted into the ''Mode ...

. Another album, ''

Transformation (The Speed of Love) ''Transformation (The Speed of Love)'' is an album by keyboard player and guitarist David Sancious and his band Tone. It was recorded at Caribou Ranch in Colorado during October and November 1975, and was released by Epic Records in 1976. On the a ...

'', followed in 1976, and a third album, ''Dance Of The Age Of Enlightenment'', was also recorded. However a dispute between Epic and new label,

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertain ...

, over ownership rights meant it would not be released until 2004. One more Tone album, ''True Stories'', came out in 1978 but the band subsequently broke up.

Other artists

During the late 1970s Carter also played with several bands on the

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May P ...

, including Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. He later played with the Lord Gunner Group, a power rock band led by Lance Larson (lead vocals, guitar) and Ricky DeSarno (lead guitarist). He was the first of three notable drummers to play with the band. He was succeeded by Vini Lopez who was in turn succeeded by

Tico Torres Hector Juan Samuel "Tico" Torres (born October 7, 1953) is an American musician, artist, and entrepreneur, best known as the drummer, percussionist, and a songwriter for American rock band Bon Jovi. In 2018, Torres was inducted into the Rock ...

. In 1978 Carter toured with the

Paul Butterfield Blues Band Paul Vaughn Butterfield (December 17, 1942May 4, 1987) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and band leader. After early training as a classical flautist, he developed an interest in blues harmonica. He explored the blues scene in his n ...

and played with them on the German TV show ''

Rockpalast ''Rockpalast'' (''Rock Palace'') is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR). ''Rockpalast'' started in 1974 and continues to this day. Hundreds of rock, heavy metal and ja ...

''. During the 1980s he performed and recorded with a Jersey Shore blues band, Billy Hector & The Fairlanes. In the early 1980s he performed with the Woodstock, N.Y. rock band, Brian Greene and Direct Drive. On August 14, 1987

joined The Fairlanes as a guest during a performance at

The Stone Pony The Stone Pony is a New Jersey music venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey known for launching the careers of many New Jersey music legends, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.Asbury Park, New Jersey Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188

. The set included a version of "Savin’ Up", a Springsteen original recorded by

Clarence Clemons Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr. (January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011), also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death in 2011, he was the saxophonist for The E Street Band. Clemons released several ...

. Carter later relocated to the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area G ...

where he worked with

Harvey Mandel Harvey Mandel (born March 11, 1945) is an American guitarist best known as a member of Canned Heat. He also played with Charlie Musselwhite and John Mayall as well as maintaining a solo career. Early life Mandel was born in Detroit, Michigan, ...

Pete Sears Peter Roy Sears (born 27 May 1948) is an English rock musician. In a career spanning more than six decades, he has been a member of many bands and has moved through a variety of musical genres, from early R&B, psychedelic improvisational rock o ...

John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues. Hooker often in ...

, Danny Click, J.C. Flyer,

and even in early 2000's

Chuck Prophet Charles William Prophet (born June 28, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. A Californian, Prophet first achieved notice in the American psychedelic/desert rock group Green on Red, with whom he toured and reco ...

. He has also been the drummer in the house band at the '' BAM'' music award show, the ''Bammies'' .

Discography

*Ernest Carter ** ''Temple of Boom'' (2001) *Bruce Springsteen ** ''

'' (1975) ** ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' (1995) ** ''

The Essential Bruce Springsteen ''The Essential Bruce Springsteen'' is a compilation album by Bruce Springsteen, released on November 11, 2003. The collection is part of a series of ''Essential'' sets released by Sony BMG (previously Sony Music Entertainment). It includes songs ...

'' (2003) *David Sancious & Tone ** ''Forest Of Feelings'' (1975) ** ''

'' (1976) ** ''True Stories'' (1978) ** ''Dance Of The Age Of Enlightenment'' (2004) *David Sancious ** ''David Sancious'' (1977) (unauthorized) ** ''Just As I Thought'' (1979) ** ''The Bridge'' (1980) *Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes ** '' This Time It's For Real'' (1977) ** ''Trash It Up'' (1983) * Billy Hector & The Fairlanes ** ''Hit The Road'' (1986) ** ''All The Way Live '' (1987) *Selected others ** Various artists: ''The Sounds Of Asbury Park'' (1980) **

Billy Squier William Haislip Squier (, born May 12, 1950) is an American rock musician and singer who had a string of arena rock and crossover hits in the early 1980s. His best-known songs include "The Stroke", " Lonely Is the Night", " My Kinda Lover", " I ...

: '' The Tale of the Tape'' (1980) ** Little Bob Story: ''Too Young To Love Me '' (1984) ** Jersey Artists for Mankind: ''We've Got The Love / Save Love, Save Life'' (1986) ** Steve Forbert: '' Streets of This Town'' (1988) **

: ''Long Haul'' (2001) ** J.C. Flyer: ''Movin' On (2002) ** Howard Tate: ''Live'' (2006)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Ernest Living people People from Asbury Park, New Jersey African-American drummers E Street Band members Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes members Musicians from New Jersey Jersey Shore musicians American jazz drummers American rock drummers Year of birth missing (living people) Tone (band) members