HAL BLAINE. the drummer who propelled dozens of major hit records during the ‘60s and ‘70s as a member of the “Wrecking Crew,” Hollywood’s elite, ubiquitous cadre of first-call studio musicians, died Monday, according to a statement from family members on his official Facebook page. He was 90. That Variety obit  hits some of the highlights of his catalogue -- Elvis, Sinatra, The Crystals, the Byrds, the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, Streisand, the Mamas & Papas -- but this Wikipedia list goes deeper while still not being complete. This 2011 WSJ profile of the master is pretty nifty. Some of the stories there are repeated in this Fresh Air interview, but with more on the invention of rock drumming. MusicRadar has what Blaine considered to be his 11 greatest recordings. And he's all over The Wrecking Crew documentary, as is evident from the trailer.

More tomorrow, though I'll still be mourning. (Don't worry; it was a slow "news" day as well.)