(June 24, 2016) Another Motown great has died. Jerome Teasley, drummer extraordinaire who worked with such artists as Al Green, Jimi Hendrix and Ike and Tina Turner, but who is best known as part of the seminal Motown band, Jr. Walker & the All-Stars, has died at age 67.
Teasley joined Jr. Walker’s band in the late 1960s, before the act’s #1 hit “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love For Me),” and continued on an off with the group for a quarter century. His work outside of the group as a session musician was just as notable, and he became one of the most in demand sticksmen of his day.
Teasley left Detroit for Arizona in the 80s, but continued to work, mostly regionally. AZCentral reports that he was a regular at Chuck E Baby’s Sunday Night Menagerie Jam, and continued to play even after he was quite ill with cancer.
Teasley will be remembered as another of the brilliant musicians that came out of the Motown and Detroit music scene of the 1960s and early 70s, and soul music fans will be listening to his work for years to come. Rest in peace, Mr. Teasley.
By Chris Rizik