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DJ FONTANA 1931–2018
Dominic Joseph ‘DJ’ Fontana, powerhouse drummer for Elvis Presley on over 450 recordings, has died aged 87. From the jumpy snare in Blue Suede Shoes to waves of rolls in Hound Dog, Fontana’s early style was a revelation for fellow drummers: country and bluegrass groups of the time often shunned drums altogether and his attacking style went beyond anything in jazz or blues. Following his initial stint with Elvis up to 1958, Fontana played again with the King on 1968’s ‘Comeback Special’ but he declined the offer to join Presley’s Las Vegas shows, staying in his Nashville hometown – Fontana also played with Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Charley Pride, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison among others.