It's been estimated that samples of JB's beats, screams, and exclamations have appeared on two or three thousand recordings, from cuts by Public Enemy and En Vogue to Fine Young Cannibals and George Michael. We can point to JB as a rhythmic genius, but serious credit has to go to his drummers. They were able to translate Brown's ideas to the drumset and were relied upon to drive anywhere from 6 to 40 piece bands for hours at a time. They were also able to articulate revolutionary musical changes and survive the grueling lifestyle that Brown required of his ensemble in the 35 years of JB's career, lots of drummers have come and gone, some staving longer than others.

But three drummers in particular - Clyde Stubblefield, John "Jabo" Starks, and Melvin Parker - made an indelible mark on JB's most creative period. These are the drummers who are sampled the most. These are the drummers who were part of the classic JB bands that could burn up halls like the Apollo Theater hotter than any band before or after.

Thanks to "Modern Drummers" to autorize us to reproduce here their article. 
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