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Jimmy Van Eaton, Early Rock ‘n’ Roll Drummer Who Played at Sun Records, Dies at 86

J.M. “Jimmy” Van Eaton, a pioneering rock ‘n’ roll drummer who played behind Jerry Lee Lewis and Billy Lee Riley at Sun Records in Memphis, has died.

Van Eaton was known for his bluesy playing style that the newspaper said powered classic early-rock hits at Sun like “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Lewis and “Red Hot” by Riley. James Mack Van Eaton initially began playing trumpet in a school band, but he soon moved to drums, saying in a 2015 interview that “it was an instrument that intrigued me.” Van Eaton performs during 'Get Rhythm: A Tribute To Sam Phillips' at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Aug. 29, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.

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