Muscle Shoals drummer Roger Hawkins has died. He was 75.
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio revealed the news on Instagram, confirming that he passed away yesterday (May 20) at his home in Sheffield, AL. According to AL.com, Hawkins died following an extended illness and multiple health issues, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Hawkins was a member of the Swampers (a.k.a. the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section), who were a prominent session band from the '60s through the '80s. Hawkins was behind the kit on hit songs like Aretha Franklin's "Respect," Paul Simon's "Kodachrome," Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman," the Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There" and Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll."
The Swampers are immortalized with a verse in Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," which goes, "Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers / And they've been known to pick a song or two (yes they do) / Lord they get me off so much / They pick me up when I'm feeling blue."
Read the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio tribute to Hawkins below.
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio revealed the news on Instagram, confirming that he passed away yesterday (May 20) at his home in Sheffield, AL. According to AL.com, Hawkins died following an extended illness and multiple health issues, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Hawkins was a member of the Swampers (a.k.a. the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section), who were a prominent session band from the '60s through the '80s. Hawkins was behind the kit on hit songs like Aretha Franklin's "Respect," Paul Simon's "Kodachrome," Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman," the Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There" and Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll."
The Swampers are immortalized with a verse in Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," which goes, "Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers / And they've been known to pick a song or two (yes they do) / Lord they get me off so much / They pick me up when I'm feeling blue."
Read the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio tribute to Hawkins below.