Drummer Jamie Oldaker, whose career spanned seasons alongside Eric Clapton and Peter Frampton, died at the age of 68.
The rocker reportedly passed away at his Tulsa, Oklahoma home, surrounded by his family. He had battled cancer in recent years.
Born and raised in Tulsa, Oldaker started playing drums at a young age. One of his first inspirational moments was watching the Beatles perform at the Ed Sullivan Show. She would later honor that same iconic studio setting while performing with Phil Driscoll.
In 1974 Oldaker played with Clapton 461 Ocean Boulevard, the rocker’s first LP after a three-year absence due to heroin addiction. Clapton said listening to a demo recording of Oldaker alongside keyboardist Dick Sims helped inspire him to return to the studio. 461 Ocean Boulevard would come to great success, powered by the single “I Shot the Sheriff”. It would be the first of Clapton’s 11 albums to feature Oldaker on drums, a list that includes Slow hand (1977), Backless (1978) and Behind the sun (1985)
“It has the best box sound I’ve ever heard,” Clapton explained to Tulsa world. “It has the best restricted padding I’ve ever heard, and its kick drum is as solid as rock. It is unique and the pocket is always perfect. The type of man he is matches his drums.
Frampton reportedly listened to one of Clapton’s songs with Oldaker and determined that he had to recruit him for his own gang. The drummer would appear on several of Frampton’s releases, including Where should i be (1979) and Get up (1980) – while also traveling regularly alongside the famous rocker.
“Jamie Oldaker has been my dear friend and brother for over 40 years,” Frampton said in a statement provided to Tulsa world by the Oldaker family. “He was a very warm, caring and true friend with a gentle heart. He cared about us almost more than himself. Most will know him as the drummer on Eric Clapton’s albums. His way of playing was unique; A relaxed drum style with an incredible feel. We travel the world, we play many wonderful shows and great recordings together. He was a very dear person and I will miss him for the rest of my time here. I love you, Jamie.
In 1988 Oldaker briefly joined Frehley’s Comet, the group founded by former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley. The drummer contributed to the band’s second album, Second sighting, before leaving.
In a Facebook post, John Regan, the bassist who played with Oldaker in both the Frampton gang and Frehely’s Comet, recalled his fallen bandmate as a “legend” with an “inimitable musical style and sense of humor “
Other credits on the drummer’s impressive resume include working alongside Bob Seger, Leon Russell, Ronnie Dunn, and the Gap Band. Oldaker was also a founding member of the country rock group The Tractors. The band was successful in the mid-1990s thanks to their self-titled debut album that sold over three million copies and garnered two Grammy nominations.
In 2010, Oldaker was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and his children, Andrew and Olivia.
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