Yogi Horton
Lawrence "Yogi" Horton, (October 1, 1953 – June 8, 1987),[1] was an American R&B, funk, jazz and rock drummer. Horton worked and recorded as a session and touring drummer with a wide variety of musicians such as Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Ashford & Simpson, David Byrne, Deborah Harry, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Kenny G, The B-52's, and Jean-Michel Jarre among numerous others.[2] His first recording was on Dave "Baby" Cortez's 1972 album Soul Vibration.[3]
Yogi Horton  | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Lawrence Horton | 
| Born | October 1, 1953 | 
| Died | June 8, 1987 (aged 33) | 
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer | 
| Instruments | Drums, backing vocals | 
| Years active | 1972–1987 | 
| Associated acts | Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Ashford & Simpson, David Byrne, Deborah Harry, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Kenny G, The B-52's, Jean-Michel Jarre | 
Horton recorded an instructional videocassette in 1983, which was released by DCI. Titled "The History of R&B/Funk Drumming", it is considered to be "one of the first instructional type videos of its kind."[4] The video is long out of print, but can still be viewed on YouTube as of March 2021.[5]
Horton, who suffered from bipolar disorder, died on June 8, 1987, when he jumped from a 17th-floor hotel window in New York shortly after performing in a Luther Vandross concert.[6]
Discography
    
- The Catherine Wheel (David Byrne, 1981)
 
With Lonnie Liston Smith
- Dreams of Tomorrow (Doctor Jazz, 1983)
 
With Gloria Gaynor
- Gloria Gaynor (Atlantic Records, 1982)
 
With Irene Cara
- Anyone Can See (Network Records, 1982)
 
With John Lennon and Yoko Ono
- Milk and Honey (Geffen, 1984)
 
With George Benson
- While the City Sleeps... (Warner Bros. Records, 1986)
 
With Linda Clifford
- I'll Keep on Loving You (Capitol, 1982)
 
With Ben E. King
- Street Tough (Atlantic Records, 1981)
 
With Cheryl Lynn
- Instant Love (Columbia Records, 1982)
 - Preppie (Columbia Records, 1983)
 
With Aretha Franklin
- Jump to It (Arista Records, 1982)
 - Get It Right (Arista Records, 1983)
 - Who's Zoomin' Who? (Arista Records, 1985)
 - Aretha (Arista Records, 1986)
 - Through the Storm (Arista Records, 1989)
 
With Yoko Ono
- It's Alright (I See Rainbows) (Polygram Records, 1982)
 
With Jean Michel Jarre
- Zoolook (Disques Dreyfus, 1984)
 
With John Phillips
- Pay Pack & Follow (Eagle Records, 2001)
 
With Stephanie Mills
- Tantalizingly Hot (Casablanca Records, 1982)
 - If I Were Your Woman (MCA Records, 1987)
 
References
    
- Talevski, Nick (2010). Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 284. ISBN 9780857121172. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
 - "Yogi Horton". AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
 - "Dave "Baby" Cortez – Soul Vibration (1972, Vinyl)".
 - "Yogi Horton". Modern Drummer. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
 - "Yogi Horton Drum Lesson Funk/R&B". YouTube. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
 - Talevski, Nick (2010). Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 284. ISBN 9780857121172. Retrieved 14 June 2016.