Michael Huey

J. Michael Huey (born October 24, 1950) is an American drummer and producer. He has played on 18 gold and platinum albums with a diverse group of artists in genres including rock, pop, country, and R&B, including Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Juice Newton, Etta James, and Lindsey Buckingham. Huey is noted for his work on film and television soundtracks as well as numerous world tours with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. He has also worked as a record producer for major record labels, including MCA and Warner Bros.

Early career Michael Huey started playing the drums while in high school playing in regional bands in Georgia, most notably the Kenningtons and 8-Up With Soul, who performed at local dance clubs and small venues. In 1969, Atlanta music manager Johnny Bee encouraged Huey to audition for the pop singer Tommy Roe, whose song "Dizzy" had become a worldwide hit that year. The audition was a success and Roe, who was signed to the Bill Lowery Organization, hired Huey to play drums on his national 'Dizzy' tour.

Atlanta years After the "Dizzy" tour ended, Huey returned to playing smaller venues. Saxophone player Grainger "Brother" Hines of The Swingin' Medallions ("Double Shot of My Baby's Love") was in an Atlanta bar where Huey was performing, and invited him to play drums for the Swingin' Medallions; Huey accepted, and replaced Ron Nobles. As the staff drummer for Lowery Studios, Huey played drums on numerous sessions, most notably for Johnny Nash, Billy Joe Royal, The Tams, Joe South, Clarence Carter, Mylon LeFevre, Sam Moore (Sam & Dave) and Sami Jo.

Huey also played on the feature films Beverly Hills Cop, Back to the Future, Boogie Nights, Deuce Bigalow, Sgt. Bilko and Overnight Delivery.

He appeared in concert with Joe Walsh, Etta James, and Albert Collins as part of the Jazzvisions series of concerts filmed at the Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles in December 1986, which was subsequently released on video and CD under the title Jump The Blues Away.

Hall of Fame

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (records & tours): Glenn Frey (The Eagles), Joe Walsh (Eagles), Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac), Etta James, Albert Collins, Chris Hillman (Byrds), Gene Clark (Byrds), Allen Toussaint (producer/songwriter), Sam Moore (Sam & Dave) Georgia Music Hall of Fame (records & tours): Tommy Roe, Joe South, The Tams, The Classics IV, Clarence Carter, Billy Joe Royal, Ray Whitley, Mylon LaFevre, Bill Lowery, Paul Cochran

Music producer and arranger Huey produced, arranged, and played drums on the critically acclaimed album So Rebellious A Lover (1987) for Gene Clark (The Byrds) and Carla Olson (The Textones). Huey also produced the remastered collectors' edition CD released in 2009.

In 1985, Huey was hired to produce and arrange the music for two of the Miller Genuine Draft NBA Semi-Finals and Championship Series (Lakers v Celtics) CBS national TV / radio advertising campaigns.

In 1990, he co-produced The Best of Tommy Roe: Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow, which was released on the Curb Mod Afw label.

Huey has worked as a producer and arranger for the following companies: MCA/Universal Records Capitol Records Curb Records Warner Brothers Records Rhino Records Fuel Records Miller Corporation Razor and Tie Records Rockin' House Entertainment

Post-retirement In 1992, Huey retired from his career as a musician and attended UCLA School of Law.

In 1994, he started his own music publishing and production company called HueyTunes.

Recordings (partial list) Year Album Artist Credit 1970 The Winstons The Winstons Drums 1974 Frankie Miller's High Life Frankie Miller Drums 1974 High Life (bonus tracks) Frankie Miller Drums 1974 It Could Have Been Me Sami Jo Drums 1974 Third Annual Pipe Dream Atlanta Rhythm Section Percussion 1975 Loneliness and Temptation Clarence Carter Percussion 1975 A Heart Full of Song Clarence Carter Percussion 1975 Love Trip Tamiko Jones Drums 1975 Midnight Rainbows Joe South Drums 1975 Pat Terry Group Pat Terry Drums, percussion 1975 The Very Best of Classics IV Classics IV Drums 1977 All I Want to Do Lee Conway Drums 1977 Live At The Bottom Line NYC Chris Hillman Drums 1977 Plain and Fancy The Bellamy Brothers Drums 1977 What a Wonderful World Johnny Nash Drums 1978 Joanne Mackell Joanne Mackell Drums 1978 Magnet & Steel Walter Egan Drums, percussion 1978 Not Shy Walter Egan Drums, percussion 1979 Hi-Fi Walter Egan Drums, percussion 1979 No More Lonely Nights Blue Steel Drums 1979 Uprooted Rob Grill Drums 1980 Best of the Pat Terry Group Pat Terry Drums 1980 Last Stroll Walter Egan Drums, percussion 1981 Nothing But Time Blue Steel Drums 1982 The Heart Never Lies Michael Martin Murphey Drums 1982 No Fun Aloud Glenn Frey Drums 1982 Sounds Like Love Johnny Lee Drums 1983 Best of Michael Martin Murphey Michael Martin Murphey Drums 1983 Wild Exhibitions Walter Egan Drums, percussion 1984 One Way Rider The Osmonds Drums 1984 The Allnighter Glenn Frey Drums 1985 Miami Vice (Smuggler's Blues) Glenn Frey Drums 1985 Rock Breakout Years Glenn Frey Drums 1985 Back to the Future (film/soundtrack) Lindsey Buckingham Drums 1985 Today The Osmonds Drums 1986 Overnight Delivery (film/soundtrack) Original Soundtrack Drums 1986 Miami Vice (You Belong to the City) Glenn Frey Drums 1987 Lonely Town Tom Kell Drums 1987 So Rebellious a Lover Gene Clark/Carla Olson Producer, drums, percussion 1988 Sergeant Bilko (film/soundtrack) Original Soundtrack Drums 1989 Jump the Blues Away Etta James Drums 1989 Jump the Blues Away Joe Walsh Drums 1989 Jump the Blues Away Albert Collins Drums 1989 Deuce Bigalow (film/soundtrack) Original Soundtrack Drums 1990 Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (The Best of Tommy Roe) Tommy Roe Producer, drums, percussion 1995 Solo Collection Glenn Frey Drums 1995 Solo Collection (Japanese bonus track) Glenn Frey Drums 1995 Wave of the Hand Carla Olson Drums, Producer 1995 After the Love Various Artists Drums 1997 Boogie Nights (film/soundtrack) Original Soundtrack Drums 1998 Flying High Gene Clark Producer, drums, percussion 2000 Best of Glenn Frey Glenn Frey Drums 2000 So Rebellious a Lover (collectors' edition remastered) Gene Clark/Carla Olson Producer, drums, percussion 2001 Honest as Daylight: The Best of Carla Olson (1981–2000) Carla Olson Producer, drums, percussion 2005 Fundamental Roll/Not Shy Walter Egan Drums, percussion 2005 Third Annual Pipe Dream: A Rock and Roll Alternative Atlanta Rhythm Section Conga, percussion 2005 Hi-Fi/The Last Stroll Walter Egan Drums, percussion 2009 Best of Johnny Nash Johnny Nash Drums, percussion 2010 The Collection Walter Egan Drums, percussion Source