Bernard Purdie is known for his precise time-keeping and his signature use of triplets against a half-time backbeat: the Purdie shuffle.
15 Facts About Bernard Purdie
1.
2.
Bernard Purdie was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013.
3.
Bernard Purdie was born on June 11,1939, in Elkton, Maryland, the 11th of 15 children.
4.
Bernard Purdie later took lessons from Heywood and played in Heywood's big band.
5.
Bernard Purdie was contracted by arranger Sammy Lowe to play a session with James Brown in 1965 and recording session records show that Bernard Purdie played on "Ain't That A Groove" at the same session.
6.
Bernard Purdie started working with Aretha Franklin as musical director in 1970 and held that position for five years, as well as drumming for Franklin's opening act, saxophonist King Curtis and the King Pins.
7.
Bernard Purdie's best known track with Franklin was "Rock Steady", on which he played what he described as "a funky and low down beat".
8.
Bernard Purdie was credited on the soundtrack album for the film Sgt.
9.
Bernard Purdie has been a resident of New Jersey, living in Edison, Teaneck and Springfield Township.
10.
On 29 September 2024 Bernard Purdie was the recipient of the inaugural "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the UK Drum Show, held in Liverpool.
11.
Bernard Purdie founded Encounter Records in 1973 and released five albums:.
12.
Bernard Purdie is known as a groove drummer with immaculate timing who makes use of precision half note, backbeats, and grooves.
13.
Bernard Purdie often employs a straight eight groove sometimes fusing several influences such as swing, blues and funk.
14.
Bernard Purdie created the now well-known drum pattern Purdie Half-Time Shuffle that is a blues shuffle variation with the addition of syncopated ghost notes on the snare drum.
15.
Bernard Purdie plays the shuffle on Steely Dan's "Babylon Sisters" and "Home At Last".