John Guerin


John Payne Guerin was an American percussionist. He was a leading proponent of the jazz-rock style, and was one of the most prolific drummers of his time.

Biography

Guerin was born in Hawaii and raised in San Diego. As a young drummer he began performing with Buddy DeFranco in 1960. In the late 1960s he moved to Los Angeles where his talented drum work was utilized by artists including Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, George Harrison, Frank Zappa, The Animals, Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, Them, Thelonious Monk, Lou Rawls, Ray Conniff, George Shearing, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt, Nelson Riddle and countless others.
From July 1972 to January 1973 he was the drummer for The Byrds, and joined the L.A. Express later that year. The band served as Joni Mitchell's back-up band on tour during the mid- to late-1970s; Guerin had a brief relationship with Mitchell during that time. She later wrote the song Hejira about leaving him.
Guerin was a leading exponent of the jazz-rock style, leading it into new territory. He was extremely prolific, and played in many different genres, including for film and television. Among his many contributions to motion picture and television scores, Guerin worked on the soundtrack to the 1988 film homage to Charlie Parker, Bird by Clint Eastwood. Those are also his drums on the theme song during the opening credits for the television series Hawaii Five-O.
In later years, Guerin worked with Oscar Peterson, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, Ray Charles, Sonny Rollins, Justin Morell, Andreas Pettersson, David Basse, David Garfield, Gary Lemel, and Mike Melvoin.
Guerin died of heart failure on January 5, 2004 in West Hills, California.

Selected discography

As sideman

With Gene Ammons
With Don Ellis
With Monk Higgins
With Joni Mitchell
With Blue Mitchell
With Cass Elliot
With Barry Mann
With Linda Ronstadt
With J. D. Souther
With Aaron Neville
With Liza Minnelli
With Oliver Nelson
With Elton John
With Michael Franks
With Sheena Easton
With Natalie Cole
With Joan Baez
With Bonnie Raitt
With Howard Roberts
With Kenny Rogers
With Gram Parsons
With George Harrison
With Stephen Bishop
With Elkie Brooks
With Sarah Vaughan
With Diane Schuur
With Art Garfunkel
With Melanie
With The Byrds
With Peggy Lee
With Helen Reddy
With Tom Scott
With Barbra Streisand
With Bud Shank
With Gábor Szabó
With Frank Zappa
With Seals and Crofts