Sad news has emerged today that Clyde Stubblefield, a former drummer for James Brown, and known for recording one of the most sampled drum breaks in music, has passed away at the age of 73.
Having played for James Brown from 1965 to 1971, Stubblefield was part of what has become one of the most legendary backing bands of all-time, during which time he helped to record some of Brown’s best known tracks, including the famous ‘Say It Loud – I’m Black And I’m Proud’.
What Stubblefield was best known for, however, was the recording of ‘Funky Drummer’, a 1970 James Brown track whose drum break has become one of the most frequently sampled portions in music. As Rolling Stone reports, Stubblefield’s drum break has been featured in over 1,000 songs, ranging from Public Enemy’s ‘Fight The Power,’ to LL Cool J’s ‘Mama Said Knock You Out,’ and even in Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shirtsleeves’.
While Clyde Stubblefield’s career with James Brown only lasted six years, his legacy as the composer of one of the most famous samples in music history will undoubtedly live on forever. Check out ‘Funky Drummer’, the most famous of Stubblefield’s works below.
