Ron Tutt

Ronald Ellis Tutt (March 12, 1938 – October 16, 2021) was an American drummer who was the principal drummer for Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, the Carpenters, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Garcia. He was also a session drummer who recorded with some of the most prominent musicians of his day.

Early life Tutt was born in Dallas, the only child of Frank Mac Tutt, and Gipsy Fay Clark Tutt. He was involved with music and the performing arts for most of his childhood;

At age 16, Tutt played his first paying gig, with a Western Swing band which included guitarists Tommy Morrell and Leon Rhodes; they would become the staff band for The Northside Jamboree with Scotty Moore and Bill Black, Saturday night live radio broadcasts which aired from the Northside Coliseum in Fort Worth. Moore and Black would soon become members of Elvis Presley's first back-up band.

In 1956, after graduating from North Dallas High School, Tutt attended the University of North Texas at Denton where he studied music. In 1959, he left school to pursue his career.

TCB Band Tutt played for the TCB Band ("Taking Care of Business"), the Elvis Presley touring and recording band, which he auditioned for in 1969. He flew in with his drum kit, which he set up in the recording studio, though while he was waiting to be called, another drummer walked in and began playing his kit. Tutt thought that he had lost the chance to even audition, as Gene Pello was incredibly experienced and seemed to be winning Elvis Presley over. However, Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, did not want to waste any money having paid to fly Tutt and his drums over, and so Elvis was persuaded to give Tutt a turn. Elvis hired him that day saying, "You know Ronnie, those other drummers were good but they were doing their own thing. You were watching me all the time". (all tracks but "Captain Jack") and 1974's Streetlife Serenade.

In February 1974, Tutt began recording sessions with Jerry Garcia for his album Garcia and, in the Fall, for Reflections. In December he began touring with Jerry Garcia's and Merl Saunders' Legion of Mary and continued with the Jerry Garcia Band from Fall 1975 through mid-1977. He also contributed to the studio sessions for Cats Under the Stars (1978) and Run For The Roses (1981) and toured with the Garcia Band through the end of that year.

Personal life and death Tutt married Loretta Ann McCraney in 1961; they had 5 children before divorcing in 1971. He was married to Donna Tutt from 1973 until his death; they had 4 children, one of whom Nathan Ellis Tutt pre-deceased his father.

Tutt died of heart disease at his home in Franklin, Tennessee at age 83.

Discography

Elvis Presley – From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis, 1969 Elvis Presley – On Stage, 1970 Dory Previn – On My Way to Where, 1970 Hedge & Donna – Special Circumstances, 1970 Johnny Rivers – Slim Slo Slider, 1970 Eve – Take It & Smile, 1970 Elvis Presley – That's the Way It Is, 1970 Delaney & Bonnie – To Bonnie from Delaney, 1970 Richard Twice – Richard Twice, 1970 Mother Hen – Mother Hen, 1971 Hedge & Donna – Evolution, 1971 John Hurley – Delivers One More Hallelujah, 1971 Quincy Jones – Dollars (soundtrack), 1971 Helen Reddy – Helen Reddy, 1971 Lalo Schifrin – Rock Requiem, 1971 George Gerdes – Obituary, 1971 Michael Nesmith – Nevada Fighter, 1971 Dory Previn – Mythical Kings and Iguanas 1971 Mason Williams – Improved, 1971 Johnny Rivers – Home Grown, 1971 Henry Mancini – Sometimes a Great Notion (soundtrack), 1971 John Stewart – Sunstorm, 1971 Barbra Streisand – Stoney End, 1971 Gladstone – Gladstone, 1972 B.J. Thomas – Billy Joe Thomas, 1972 Barbara Keith – Barbara Keith, 1972 Balderdash – Ballad of Goodness & Mercy, 1972 Elvis Presley – As Recorded at Madison Square Garden, 1972 John Hurley – Children's Dreams, 1973 Buckingham Nicks – Buckingham Nicks, 1973 Jim Horn – Through the Eyes of a Horn, 1972 Dory Previn – Mary C. Brown and the Hollywood Sign, 1972 Gladstone – Lookin' for a Smile, 1973 Gram Parsons – GP, 1973 Billy Joel – Piano Man, 1973 Elvis Presley – The Fool Album, 1973 Elvis Presley – Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite, 1973 José Feliciano – And the Feeling's Good, 1974 Sherman Hayes – Vagabond's Roost, 1973 Elvis Presley – Raised on Rock / For Ol' Times Sake, 1973 The Hues Corporation – Freedom for the Stallion, 1973 Larry Carlton – Singing/Playing, 1973 The Hagers – The Hagers, 1974 Billy Joel – Streetlife Serenade, 1974 Hugo Montenegro – Hugo in Wonder-Land, 1974 Gram Parsons – Grievous Angel, 1974 Jerry Garcia – Garcia, 1974 Dory Previn – Dory Previn, 1974 Sarah Kernochan – Beat Around the Bush, 1974 Harriet Schock – Hollywood Town, 1974 Alex Harvey – True Love, 1974 Emmylou Harris – Pieces of the Sky, 1975 Jackie DeShannon – New Arrangement, 1975 Kenny Rankin – Silver Morning, 1975 Emmylou Harris – Elite Hotel, 1975 Larry Hosford – A.K.A. Lorenzo, 1975 Lobo – A Cowboy Afraid of Horses, 1975 Elvis Presley – Today, 1975 David Cassidy – The Higher They Climb, The Harder They Fall, 1975 John Stewart – Wingless Angels, 1975 Jerry Garcia Band – Garcia Live Volume 17, 1976 Allan Rich – Glass Heart, 1976 Deardorff & Joseph – Deardorff & Joseph, 1976 Andy Williams – Andy, 1976 David Cassidy – Home Is Where the Heart Is, 1976 Gram Parsons/The Flying Burrito Brothers – Sleepless Nights, 1976 Silverado – Silverado, 1976 Jerry Garcia – Reflections, 1976 England Dan & John Ford Coley – I Hear Music, 1976 The Carpenters – Passage, 1977 Nancy Shanks – Nancy Shanx, 1977 Mary K. Miller – Handcuffed to a Heartache, 1978 Gale Force – Two, 1978 Angelo – Midnight Prowl (1978) Wendy Waldman – Strange Company, 1978 Helen Reddy – Live in London, 1978 Keola & Kapono Beamer – Honolulu City Lights, 1978 Captain & Tennille – Dream, 1978 The Carpenters – Christmas Portrait, 1978 Jerry Garcia Band – Cats Under the Stars, 1978 Evie Sands – Suspended Animation, 1979 Maria Muldaur – Open Your Eyes, 1979 Emmylou Harris – Blue Kentucky Girl, 1979 Mink DeVille – Le Chat Bleu, 1980 Tony Sciuto – Island Nights, 1980 Doc & Merle Watson – Red Rocking Chair, 1981 The Carpenters – Made in America, 1981 Jim Keltner & Ron Tutt – The Sheffield Drum Record, 1982 recorded December 1980 Jerry Garcia – Run for the Roses, 1982 Neil Diamond – Heartlight, 1982 The Carpenters – Voice of the Heart, 1983 Neil Diamond – Primitive, 1984 Chris Hillman – Desert Rose, 1984 The Carpenters – An Old Fashioned Christmas, 1984 The Maranatha! Singers – Praise Eight, 1986 Elvis Costello – King of America, 1986 Neil Diamond – Headed for the Future, 1986 Phil Keaggy – The Wind and the Wheat, 1987 Neil Diamond – Hot August Night II, 1987 Los Lobos – By the Light of the Moon, 1987 Roy Orbison – Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night, 1988 The Carpenters – Lovelines, 1989 Bob Bennett – Lord of the Past: A Compilation, 1989 The Marantha Singers – We Shall Stand: The Spiritual Warfare Series, Vol. 2, 1990 Neil Diamond – Lovescape, 1991 Shelby Lynne – Temptation, 1993 The Flying Burrito Brothers – Eye of a Hurricane, 1994 Neil Diamond – Live in America, 1995 Neil Diamond – Tennessee Moon, 1996 Doc & Merle Watson – Watson Country, 1996 Paul Overstreet – A Songwriter's Project, Vol. 1, 2000 The Carpenters – As Time Goes By, 2001 Jerry Garcia Band – Don't Let Go, 2001 Neil Diamond – Three Chord Opera, 2001 Jim Weatherly – Pictures & Rhymes, 2003 Doc & Merle Watson – Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues Jerry Garcia Band – Pure Jerry: Theatre 1839, San Francisco, July 29 & 30, 1977, 2004 Jerry Garcia – All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions, 2004 Scout Cloud Lee – Mountain Movin' Medicine, 2005 Scout Cloud Lee – Love Medicine, 2005 Jerry Garcia – Legion of Mary: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 1, 2005 Jerry Garcia – Garcia Plays Dylan, 2005 Doc & Merle Watson – Black Mountain Rag, 2006 Jim Lauderdale & the Dream Players – Honey Songs, 2008 John Wackerman – Drum Duets, Vol. 1, 2007 Jim Lauderdale – Patchwork River, 2010 Jerry Garcia / Legion of Mary – Garcia Live, Vol. 3: Dec 14-15, 1974 Northwest Tour, 2013 Benny Hester – Benny…, 2016 Jerry Garcia / Legion of Mary – Garcia Live Volume Seven, 2016