Happy Birthday ALAN WHITE (video)

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Alan White (born 14 June 1949) is an English rock drummer and songwriter best known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969. In all, White has appeared on over fifty albums with artists including John Lennon, George Harrison, Joe Cocker, Ginger Baker, and The Ventures.

Born in Pelton, County Durham, White later moved to the nearby town of Ferryhill, County Durham by the age of 7 where he would spend the rest of his childhood. White began learning to play the piano at age six and, after switching to drums, played publicly with a local band called the Downbeats at 13. Later, he worked with a number of bands during the late 1960s, notably the Alan Price Set. In 1969, White received a call from John Lennon (he thought it was a prankster), asking him to join the Plastic Ono Band for a show that became the hit album, Live Peace in Toronto. He also performed with Lennon on the Imagine album and the single, "Instant Karma". When Lennon introduced White to George Harrison, he was asked to perform on the All Things Must Pass album. In late 1969, White joined Ginger Baker's Air Force with Steve Winwood.

In 1972, White was touring with Joe Cocker when he received an invitation to join Yes, to replace Bill Bruford who had left to join King Crimson. Three days after meeting with Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, White played at the first show of the group's US Close to the Edge tour. Despite the fact that White had spent time in the studio with the band and even tried playing some of the Close to the Edge material, it was still a substantial challenge for him to learn the band's live set in just three days. White and the band gave each other three months to see if he fitted in, and some 40 years later, he has appeared on every Yes album since.

Alan White released his only solo album, Ramshackled, in 1976.

In addition to his drum playing, White has played piano and written music for several Yes albums.

source: wikipedia

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