RIP. D.J Fontana

Very sad news.

 

The original "FAB FOUR" are now back togther.

R.I.P

And thenks.

 

R.I.P.

 

R.I.P. D.J.

 

I love his work. RIP

 

Very sad. I believe DJ was making appearances until recently. Hound Dog got me started on drums when I was a kid. I got Scotty's autograph a couple years before he passed. DJ offered autograph pics on his web site a few years back...however, when I checked a couple years ago...they were not offered any more.

 

I think mostly of his great drum work on Jailhouse Rock, where if I remember correctly he was trying to sound like an inmate working on a prison chain gang when striking a hammer. Boy, he really kicked some rear on that baby. A great guy and a talented musician. As Peter Guralnick noted in his great two-volume books on Elvis, the King was harder on drummers and piano players in his band than any other instrumentalists, because he required such physical and powerful playing. Wow, and DJ was part of an elite group of drummers that got the job done splendidly, including Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Carrigan, Gene Chrisman and Hal Blaine to name a few.

 

I saw the announcement late last night, but just now on Facebook, the Murfreesboro paper, The Daily News Journal posted that Mr. Fontana lived in Smyrna, Tennessee ?!?!
I had no idea.
I lived there from 1972-1981, graduated from Smyrna High. My Mom lived there until her death in 2010.
Jack Pearson lives there also.

R.I.P.
.

 

R.I.P. D.J.

 

Here's a great story from The Musician's Hall Of Fame, right here in Nashville, from Founder and CEO Joe Chambers :

" I met D.J. through Scotty Moore. Scotty was the first artist to donate a instrument to the MHOF as soon as I told him we were doing it. He introduced me to D.J. around 2004 and D.J. invited me to do a video interview with him at his house about his life with Elvis, Bill and Scotty. He couldn’t have been nicer just like everyone else that knew D.J. has written. D.J. still had the original gold drum kit seen on everything from the Ed Sullivan Show to live shows in Memphis. He said he had a new cowhide kick drum head made that came very close to matching the original one that had kinda rotted over the years. He had also had the drums restored to look almost new. I talked to him about placing them in the museum but he just couldn’t seem to let go of them. I didn’t feel it was because he wanted a ton of money as much as they were almost a family member and letting them go would leave a big hole in his heart. As nice as D.J. was, one thing I always kinda liked about him was he still had a Rock and Roll attitude. He took the fame in stride. It’s cool and fun but I can take it or leave it. Garry Tallent came by the museum today. We were talking music as always and Scotty and D.J. came up, I had not heard about D.J. passing yet and neither had Garry. We were talking about Garry being backstage at some award show with some Big rock stars and how cool everyone thought everyone was until Scotty and D.J. walked in and they all became fans, almost groupie like around those guys.
Even The Beatles and Stones had their heroes and they were D.J., Scotty and Bill.
The last time I spoke to D.J. was about 7 months ago. I called him to see if he was ready to sell his historic drum kit yet and he told me he had just sold them. I was bummed out really bad until he told me Keith Richards bought them.
RIP D.J.
Joe "

 

Rock on Brother. He was awesome!

 

RIP DJ. You’re with the rest of the Blue Moon Boys.

 

Very sad news.

Great drummer.

RIP...

 

Thank you DJ Fontana for the music.

Here's a funny anecdote I'd like to share on the side, maybe so as to cheer you up a bit in spite of the sad occasion:

I was in my teens in the 90s when the genre of electronic music called techno was all the rage here in Europe. I was not into that at all but I preferred rock with a roll. Back then, I got the "All the King's Men" CD and when a friend from school came over to visit me, he saw the CD, pointed at the cover and said "Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana? Is that rock / techno crossover music?" I laughingly replied "No, he is not a DJ, his name is DJ.

Needless to say that his beats laid the foundation to a lot that came after.

 

Wow. Scotty, Elvis, Bill and DJ.
Just thinking- what a great band! What a pioneering band. They were the best at what they did- as a band.

 

DJ played for Elvis's rock and roll style before too many of us knew what it was - I'm glad I heard those guys early on in my listening years.
When so many people (listeners, dancers and bandleaders) expect to hear a rhythm section tearing it up, you better listen to the masters first and understand that type of drumming before you join a band, rather than going back the other way. I'm glad I heard DJ - the real thing. After all, a DJ plays records. The late DJ played on the records.

 

Happen to re-watch Elvis's '68 Comeback Special this past weekend - he was great during that performance.

 

From The New York Times:

D.J. Fontana, 87, Forceful Drummer Who Kept the Beat for Presley for 14 Years

Here's a fun clip with famous friends Ronnie W. & Jeff B. from 20 years back:

 

End of an era. Last of the Blue Moon Boys.
The natural cycle of life is unkind, no doubt. He had a great run, but it’s still hard to see this chapter closed completely.

 

Another giant has left the planet. RIP D.J.

 

Is it ever! What sad news to wake up to!

Just looking at this photo it struck me, is this the first iteration of what would become the classic rock group line-up - 2 guitars, bass and drums?

 

I'm guessing it was the early 90's that there was an Elvis tribute show here in Milwaukee
(at The Riverside Theater...classy big theater) with three or four major Elvis tribute
artists (including Rick Saucedo and Milwaukee's own Tom Green (RIP) WITH DJ Fontana and The Jordanaires (among others) performing with them on stage.
During the show's mid break, the lobby was filled with people going to the john, getting drinks,
etc, and off to the side, by himself, was D J. Just standing there.
I couldn't resist...I went over to him, shook his hand, and told him I didn't want an autograph
or anything, I just wanted to thank him for all of the music he helped create that had had such
a major effect on my life.
He kind of just looked at me, like a deer in the headlights, and then smiled and said thanks.
That was it, but I remember it clear as day, and always will.
I'll miss you D J...……...

 

Here is a real nice article from the L.A. Times:

Elvis Presley's drummer D.J. Fontana set the beat for rock 'n' roll's future

 

Great article, Art, thanks for passing that one along!