James Gadson


James Edward Gadson is an American drummer and session musician. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Gadson has since become one of the most-recorded drummers in the history of R&B. He is also a singer and songwriter.

Career

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Gadson played with the first line-up of Charles Wright's Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, and recorded three albums with them between 1968 and 1970. Along with other members of Wright's band, he went on to appear on many hit records, including with Dyke & the Blazers. Gadson started to become well known as a drummer following the release of the album Still Bill by Bill Withers, released by Sussex Records in 1972. He played on The Temptations album 1990, released on the Motown label in 1973.
In 1975, he played with Freddie King on Larger Than Life and went on to record with Martha Reeves, Randy Crawford, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, B.B. King, Albert King, Rose Royce, Elkie Brooks and many more artists. In 1975, he anchored the Motown classic double platinum album City Of Angels, recorded by Billy Griffin & The Miracles.
Gadson was also the drummer on Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" in 1976 and Diana Ross's hit 1976 single Love Hangover. He drummed on Thelma Houston's breakout disco hit, "Don't Leave Me This Way", recorded at Motown's West Hollywood studio complex.
He appeared on two tracks, "At The Mercy" and "Riding To Vanity Fair", on the 2005 Paul McCartney album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard.
He has a brief appearance in the Adam Sandler 2009 movie Funny People as a member of the jam band that Sandler's character hires to play with him.
In April 2009, Gadson joined Alex Dixon, grandson of Willie Dixon, on his 2009 release titled Rising From The Bushes, in which he appeared on two tracks, "Fantasy" and Willie Dixon's famous song "Spoonful".
In June 2009, Gadson joined Beck, Wilco, Feist and Jamie Lidell covering Skip Spence's Oar as part of Beck's Record Club series, with videos appearing on Beck's website beginning November 2009. He has drummed on Beck's albums Sea Change, The Information and Morning Phase, as well as Jamie Lidell's 2010 album Compass. Gadson played drums, as well as hambone, on the D'Angelo song "Sugah Daddy", on the Black Messiah album. He appeared in the 2016 video for “Mama Can’t Help You No More,” by Doyle Bramhall II.
In 2019, James Gadson, who resides in Los Angeles, was featured on Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back as his paternal niece's and nephew-in-law's restaurant, Bayou on the Vine, was renamed "Gadson's Restaurant & Jazz Club", named after him and his late brother, guitarist Thomas Maurice 'Tutty' Gadson.

Discography

Singles

  • "Express Yourself" -
  • "Lean On Me" -
  • "Use Me" -
  • "Got To Find My Baby" / "Let The Feeling Belong" - Cream Records 1014 -
  • "Good Vibrations" / "Just To Love You Girl" - Cream Records 1019 -
  • "Dancing Machine" -
  • "I Want You" -
  • "Love Hangover" -
  • "Go By What's In Your Heart" / "Go By What's In Your Heart" - United Artists UA-XW815-Y -
  • "Got To Be Real" -
James Gadson & Lou Washington
  • Gadson & Washington - "Ain't No Way To Live" / "Indian Village" - B And W Records – BW-011, B And W Records – BW-012

As sideman

With Mindi AbairIn Hi-Fi Stereo Wild Heart
With Arthur AdamsBack on Track Soul of the Blues Stomp the Floor Here to Make You Feel Good Kick Up Some Dust
With Alessi BrothersDriftin
With Herb AlpertHerb Alpert / Hugh Masekela
With Corinne Bailey RaeThe Heart Speaks in Whispers
With Philip BaileyContinuation
With Anita BakerThe Songstress
With Jimmy BarnesSoul Deeper... Songs From the Deep South The Rhythm and the Blues
With BeckSea Change The Information Morning Phase
With Booker T. & the M.G.'sThat's The Way It Should Be
With Doyle Bramhall IIRich Man
With Dianne BrooksBack Stairs in My Life
With Elkie BrooksLive and Learn
With Randy BrownIntimately
With Peabo Bryson and Natalie ColeWe're the Best of Friends
With Solomon BurkeMake Do with What You Got
With Jerry ButlerPower Of Love
With Terry CallierFire on Ice
With G. C. CameronYou're What's Missing in My Life
With Jean CarnSweet and Wonderful
With David CastleCastle in the Sky Love You Forever
With Paddy CaseyAddicted to Company Pt. 1
With Ray CharlesWish You Were Here Tonight Do I Ever Cross Your Mind
With Kelly ClarksonWrapped in Red
With Jimmy CliffFollow My Mind
With Joe CockerHymn for My Soul
With Adam CohenAdam Cohen
With Leonard CohenThe Future
With Natalie ColeThankful Don't Look Back
With Nikka CostaPebble to a Pearl
With Randy CrawfordEverything Must Change Raw Silk Nightline
With Jamie CullumCatching Tales
With D'AngeloBlack Messiah
With Lana Del ReyParadise
With Jackie DeShannonYou're the Only Dancer
With Marcella DetroitThe Vehicle
With The 5th DimensionHigh on Sunshine
With DonovanLady of the Stars
With Yvonne EllimanLove Me Night Flight
With The EmotionsRejoice
With EnchantmentUtopia
With Donald FagenThe Nightfly
With Yvonne FairThe Bitch Is Black
With José FelicianoJosé Feliciano
With Four TopsThe Show Must Go On
With Aretha FranklinSweet Passion Aretha
With Toko FuruuchiHourglass
With Charlotte GainsbourgIRM
With Terry GarthwaiteTerry
With Terry Garthwaite and Toni BrownThe Joy
With Marvin GayeI Want You Midnight Love
With Gloria GaynorLove Tracks I Have a Right Stories
With Benny GolsonKiller Joe
With Herbie HancockMan-Child
With John HandyHard Work Carnival
With High InergySteppin' Out Frenzy Shoulda Gone Dancin' High Inergy
With Thelma Houston and Jerry ButlerThelma & Jerry
With Thelma Houston
With The Hues CorporationYour Place or Mine
With Phyllis HymanCan't We Fall in Love Again?
With Jermaine JacksonLet Me Tickle Your Fancy
With La Toya JacksonLa Toya Jackson
With Norah JonesThe Fall
With Rickie Lee JonesThe Evening of My Best Day
With Al JohnsonBack for More
With Margie JosephHear the Words, Feel the Feeling Feeling My Way
With The Keane BrothersTaking Off
With Eddie KendricksBoogie Down! The Hit Man
With Albert KingTruckload of Lovin
With Ben E. KingLet Me Live in Your Life
With B.B. KingMidnight Believer [Take It Home (Simply Red album)|Home (B.B. King album)|Take It Home]
With Elle King Love Stuff
With Freddie KingLarger Than Life
With Gladys KnightMiss Gladys Knight
With Gladys Knight & the PipsAt Last... The Pips Touch
With Charles KynardCharles Kynard
With LabelleChameleon
With Patti LaBellePatti LaBelle Tasty Winner in You
With Amos LeeAmos Lee Last Days at the Lodge Mission Bell
With Jamie LidellCompass
With Jon LucienRomantico
With Cheryl LynnCheryl Lynn In Love In the Night
With Florence and the MachineHigh as Hope
With Melissa ManchesterDon't Cry Out Loud
With Teena MarieStarchild
With Ziggy MarleyFly Rasta
With Letta MbuluThere's Music in the Air Letta Sounds Of a Rainbow
With Paul McCartneyChaos and Creation in the Backyard
With Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.The Two of Us Blackbird Lennon-McCartney Icons
With Gwen McCraeOn My Way
With The McCrarysLoving is Living
With Lonette McKeeLonette Words and Music
With Shannon McNallyJukebox Sparrows
With Bette MidlerBette
With The MiraclesCity of Angels The Power of Music
With Blue MitchellStratosonic Nuances African Violet Summer Soft
With Barbara MorrisonLove'n You
With Ian MossSoul on West 53rd
With Aaron NevilleBring It On Home... The Soul Classics
With Paolo NutiniCaustic Love
With David OliverMind Magic Rain Fire Here's To You
With The OriginalsAnother Time, Another Place
With Freda PayneHot
With Sweet Pea AtkinsonGet What You Deserve
With Peaches & Herb2 Hot Twice the Fire Worth the Wait Sayin' Something
With Teddy PendergrassWorkin' It Back
With Billy PrestonLate at Night The Way I Am Pressin' On
With Margo PriceThat's How Rumors Get Started
With Helen ReddyReddy
With Martha ReevesMartha Reeves We Meet Again
With Terry ReidSeed of Memory
With LeAnn RimesToday Is Christmas
With Minnie RipertonStay in Love
With Smokey RobinsonLove Breeze Where There's Smoke... Warm Thoughts Being with You Touch the Sky Love, Smokey
With Rockie RobbinsRockie Robbins You and Me
With Nate RuessGrand Romantic
With David RuffinMe 'N Rock 'N Roll Are Here To Stay
With Patrice RushenShout It Out Patrice Pizzazz Posh Straight from the Heart
With Lara Saint PaulSaffo Music
With Poncho SanchezLatin Spirits
With Evie SandsSuspended Animation
With Boz ScaggsSlow Dancer
With Lalo SchifrinRollercoaster
With Nancy ShanksNancy Shanx
With Marlena ShawSweet Beginnings
With Michelle ShockedMexican Standoff
With Simply RedHome
With Lynwood SlimLast Call
With Josh SmithI'm Gonna Be Ready
With Phoebe SnowIt Looks Like Snow
With Edwin StarrClean Stronger than You Think I Am
With Barbra StreisandWet
With Harry StylesFine Line
With The SupremesHigh Energy Mary, Scherrie & Susaye
With The SylversSomething Special
With TavaresCheck It Out Sky High! Future Bound
With The Temptations1990 A Song for You The Temptations Do The Temptations Power Back to Basics Milestone
With Jean TerrellI Had to Fall in Love
With Justin TimberlakeFutureSex/LoveSounds
With Diana TraskBelieve Me Now or Believe Me Later
With The Undisputed TruthDown to Earth Cosmic Truth Higher Than High Smokin
With Keith UrbanRipcord
With Frankie ValliHeaven Above Me
With Thijs Van LeerO My Love
With Kenny VanceShort Vacation
With VulfpeckMr Finish Line Running Away
With Leon WareMusical Massage Leon Ware
With Was (Not Was)Boo!
With The WhispersOpen Up Your Love Whisper in Your Ear
With Mary WilsonMary Wilson
With Lenny WilliamsChoosing You Sparks of Love Love Current
With Bill WithersStill Bill +'Justments
With Womack & WomackLove Wars Radio M.U.S.C. Man
With Stevie WoodsTake Me to Your Heaven
With Bobby WomackSafety Zone The Poet The Poet II So Many Rivers Someday We'll All Be Free
With Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm BandExpress Yourself You're So Beautiful
With Syreeta WrightRich Love, Poor Love One to One Set My Love in Motion
With Michael WycoffLove Conquers All On the Line
With Richard "Popcorn" Wylie
  • ''Extrasensory Percepition''