Clem Cattini, the legendary British session drummer who played on at least 42 number one singles, has died at the age of 89 following a fall at home. The death came shortly after he was discharged from hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for health complications.
Death Announced by Songwriter David Stark
Songwriter David Stark confirmed the news in a Facebook post, sharing photos of the drummer throughout his career. Stark wrote: "I hate to be one of the bearers of such sad news but just learned we've lost the legendary drummer and raconteur Clem Cattini (89) who suffered a fall at home last night."
He added: "This is especially sad as he only recently came out of hospital with diabetic issues but was on the mend and doing well. Sincere condolences to his wife Anna, daughter Giulia and all the family."
A Career Spanning Decades and Genres
Cattini was described by Stark as "the greatest British session drummer of all time," having played with many bands including the Tornados, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Lulu's Luvvers and the Rocky Horror Show touring cast.
His first number one came with Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, which topped the UK singles chart in August 1960. He helped form the Tornados in 1961, and their instrumental track "Telstar" spent five weeks at number one on the UK chart in 1962.
Chart-Topping Collaborations
Other chart-topping tracks featuring his drumming include Tom Jones' "Green, Green Grass of Home," Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me," Ken Dodd's "Tears," Peters and Lee's "Welcome Home," Renée and Renato's "Save Your Love" and Tony Christie's "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo."
Stark also noted that Cattini played drums on two of his songs at Morgan Studios in the '70s. He ended his post by listing the legendary artists Cattini had collaborated with, including Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Gene Pitney, Bee Gees and Dusty Springfield.
