Kenny Aronoff
American drummer (born 1953)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenneth D. Aronoff (born March 7, 1953) is an American drummer. He has toured and recorded with a wide range of artists throughout his career, and is perhaps best known for his longtime associations with John Mellencamp and John Fogerty.[3][4][5]
March 7, 1953[1]
Kenny Aronoff | |
|---|---|
Aronoff in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Kenneth D. Aronoff March 7, 1953[1] Albany, New York, U.S.[2] |
| Occupation | Drummer |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Website | kennyaronoff |
Aronoff has also taught drumming at college level and owns the recording studio Uncommon Studios L.A.[6][7] He is widely recognized as one of the best drummers in history, with his drumming skills having been touted by magazines such as Rolling Stone and Modern Drummer.[8][9][10]
Early life
Aronoff was born to a Jewish family and grew up in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.[11][12] He developed an interest in music at an early age and gravitated to the drums as "drumming was one hundred percent energy."[13][14][15] He studied classical music in college both at the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University, from which he graduated in 1976.[1] Several classical orchestras offered him a timpani percussion position which he declined in order to study jazz and fusion drum set work, before joining some bands in Indiana.[1]
Aronoff worked a summer at the Tanglewood Music Festival where he worked with conductors Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland and Arthur Fiedler. After which he was offered a seat in Israel’s Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, which he turned down to pursue his passion for rock and roll music.[16]
Career
In 1980, Aronoff joined the backing band of John Mellencamp, who was using the stage name Johnny Cougar at the time. Aronoff remained with Mellencamp's band for 17 years.[17] He played drums for John Fogerty live and in the studio from 1996 until 2018.[18] Aronoff was Associate Professor of Percussion at Indiana University from 1993 to 1997. Each year, The Aronoff Percussion Scholarship is awarded to an Indiana University percussion student.[4][19][20]
Aronoff was an inaugural member of the Independent Music Awards' 2001 first Annual IMA judging panel to support independent artists.[21] He performed at the Kennedy Center Honors from 2008 to 2014. On January 26, 2014, Aronoff performed at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards with Ringo Starr.[22] Aronoff joined Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in the CBS special The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles that aired on February 9, 2014.[23]
In 2011 and 2012, Aronoff substituted for Chad Smith in the supergroup Chickenfoot, rounded out by Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Joe Satriani.[24] From 2024 until 2026, Aronoff played with this same group of musicians under the Best of All Worlds tour moniker, a tribute to the Hagar era of Van Halen.[25]
Aronoff played with rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis from 2017 until Lewis's death in 2022.[26][27]
Legacy
On March 31, 2016, Rolling Stone ranked Kenny Aronoff number 66 of the 100 greatest drummers of all time. The magazine wrote, "With a sixth sense for what makes music pop and the patience to take direction, he's ended up as a go-to studio beatsmith for the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton, John Fogerty, Sting, the Smashing Pumpkins, Lady Gaga and tons more."[8] Modern Drummer named Kenny Aronoff the "#1 Pop/Rock Drummer and #1 Studio Drummer" for five consecutive years.[9][10]
