Ronnie Verrell

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ronald "Ronnie" Thomas Verrell (* 21st February 1926 in Rochester , England ; † 22. February 2002 in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames , England) was an English jazz - drummer , the worldwide notoriety as Animal in the Muppets gained.

Live and act

Verrell began his career in the 1940s in local jazz and dance bands, such as Carl Barriteau, the Londonaires Dance Orchestra and, from 1949, with Cyril Stapleton. For many years he worked as a big band drummer , initially from 1951 to 1964 in the Ted Heath Orchestra , with whom he also toured the United States. He then worked for the Jack Parnell ATV Orchestra for a good ten years. There he also played regularly the Sunday Night at the London Palladium , a variety show that ran on British television from 1955 to 1967 and 1973 to 1974. He also worked on television for the Frank Skinner Show.

In 1969 he played drums on the band's first regular album Strawbs and occasionally replaced Dave Clark in the Dave Clark Five . He was best known as the man who gave Animal the Muppet Show's drumming ability from the mid-1970s. In the Muppet Show he played musical duels with Dizzy Gillespie and Buddy Rich . As a studio musician, he has been involved in the recordings of Tony Bennett , Shirley Bassey , John Williams , Cleo Laine , Tom Jones , Champion Jack Dupree , Vic Lewis , Jay McShann , Al Casey , Stan Tracey as well as Yehudi Menuhin and Stéphane Grappelli .

Since 1981 he played with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra; In the last years of his life he appeared in jazz combos with singer Tony Jacobs and clarinetist Dave Shepherd. As a result of falling down a staircase in his own house, Verrell had to undergo an operation, which resulted in pneumonia that led to death.

Verrell has been married three times and has three daughters.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Verrell, Ronnie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Verrell, Ronald Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English jazz drummer
DATE OF BIRTH February 21, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Rochester
DATE OF DEATH February 22, 2002
Place of death Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames