Jerry Carrigan

Jerry Kirby Carrigan (September 13, 1943 – June 22, 2019) was an American drummer and record producer. Early in his career he was a member of the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and later worked as a session musician in Nashville for over three decades. His style of drumming with a loose, deep-sounding snare drum melded country music with an R&B feel and helped develop a Nashville sound known as "Countrypolitan". His drumming is heard on many recordings which have become classics, some listed below. He recorded with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Stevens, Kenny Rogers, George Jones and many others. He recorded with non-country artists as well, including Henry Mancini, Al Hirt, Johnny Mathis, and the Boston Pops Orchestra. In 2009 he was inducted into the "Nashville Cats", a cadre of top recording musicians chosen by the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2010 he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Carrigan was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019.

Early years

Carrigan was born in Florence, Alabama, September 13, 1943. His mother, Elaine (Kirby) Carrigan, worked in a jewelry store and later owned a shoe shop. His father, Larry Carrigan, was a painting contractor who supported his son's interest in music and bought the youngster a set of drums. Jerry's first band was "Little Joe Allen and the Offbeats" an R&B cover band.

When Carrigan was 15, his father began recruiting boys to form a band with Jerry, his idea being that money could be made playing for college parties– four major universities were within an easy drive from Florence. It was then that Jerry first met David Briggs and Norbert Putnam who agreed to form a band. They called it the "Mark V" and Carrigan's father would become their booking agent and chauffeur. The young players developed their skills and gained experience as Larry drove them to various gigs in the southeast in a station wagon pulling a trailer full of band equipment. Eventually, when the boys were old enough to drive, Mr. Carrigan retired as driver, but continued booking the band. Jerry Carrigan attended Florence State College as an accounting major, but left school after two years to pursue music.

Carrigan and bandmates befriended Tom Stafford who had a rudimentary recording studio called "SPAR" in Florence over his father's drug store at the corner of Tennessee and Seminary St. Stafford had partnered with Rick Hall and Billy Sherrill in the SPAR (acronym for Stafford Publishing and Recording) business endeavor. Carrigan was first introduced to making demo recordings here. As time passed, more future talents frequented those rooms including Spooner Oldham, Terry Thompson, Dan Penn and Donnie Fritts. Hall's house band included Carrigan, Putnam and Briggs as the foundation of the rhythm section consisting of drums, bass and piano. Speaking of this trio, Carrigan said, "We laid the groundwork for the whole Muscle Shoals Rhythm and Blues Movement to begin.". This left Rick Hall without his hit-making musicians. He hired a new group of session players, later known affectionately as "The Swampers" consisting of Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, who reached unprecedented success. They left Hall in 1969 to create their own competing Muscle Shoals studio, dubbing themselves "The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section".

Nashville

With the cachet of being one of the architects of the "Muscle Shoals Sound", Carrigan quickly got session bookings in Nashville. "People just put me right to work", he said.

Carrigan died in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on June 22, 2019. According to former bandmate Norbert Putnam, he had been seriously ill for several years.

The Gambler – Kenny Rogers Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line – Waylon Jennings Middle Age Crazy – Jerry Lee Lewis Behind Closed Doors – Charlie Rich He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones Polk Salad Annie - Tony Joe White What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am) – The Tams Everybody – Tommy Roe Marie Laveau – Bobby Bare Everything is Beautiful – Ray Stevens Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' – Charley Pride

Discography

Just Because I'm a Woman - Dolly Parton (1968) Black and White - Tony Joe White (1969) My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy - Dolly Parton (1969) Tony Joe - Tony Joe White (1970) Yesterday's Wine - Willie Nelson (1971) Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old) - Elvis Presley (1971) Rock and Roll Resurrection - Ronnie Hawkins (1972) He Touched Me - Elvis Presley (1972) Raised on Rock / For Ol' Times Sake - Elvis Presley (1972) Where Are You Now, My Son? - Joan Baez (1972) My Tennessee Mountain Home - Dolly Parton (1973) Hank Wilson's Back Vol. I - Leon Russell (1973) Poor Man's Paradise - Mother Earth (1973) The Road - Johnny Rivers (1974) Jolene - Dolly Parton (1974) Giant of Rock 'n' Roll - Ronnie Hawkins (1974) Good Times - Elvis Presley (1974) Love Lifted Me - Kenny Rogers (1976) Regeneration - Roy Orbison (1976) Kenny Rogers - Kenny Rogers (1976) Daytime Friends - Kenny Rogers (1977) Amy Grant - Amy Grant (1977) From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing - Michael Nesmith (1977) Love or Something Like It - Kenny Rogers (1978) The Gambler - Kenny Rogers (1978) Under the Eye - Dennis Linde (1978) Kenny - Kenny Rogers (1979) My Very Special Guests - George Jones (1979) American Son - Levon Helm (1980) Gideon - Kenny Rogers (1980) Some Days Are Diamonds - John Denver (1980) Both Sides of Love - Paul Anka (1981) Seasons of the Heart - John Denver (1982) It's About Time - John Denver (1983) Dreamland Express - John Denver (1985) One World - John Denver (1986) Christmas, Like a Lullaby - John Denver (1990)