Drummer Clem Cattini, who played on dozens of UK number ones, dies at 89

Summarised from BBC Beds Bucks And Herts's report · Updated 4 Nov, 17:58 · Archive

Clem Cattini, drummer with the Tornados and prolific session musician, has died aged 89.

Clem Cattini, the drummer who co-founded the Tornados in 1961, has died aged 89. He lived in Hertfordshire.

The Tornados' instrumental Telstar spent five weeks at number one on the UK chart in 1962 and became the first British group to top the US Billboard Hot 100. As a session musician, Cattini played on number one hits including Tom Jones' Green, Green Grass of Home, Dusty Springfield's You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, Tony Christie's (Is This the Way to) Amarillo?, Engelbert Humperdinck's Release Me, Love Affair's Everlasting Love and Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' Shakin' All Over.

Tony Christie described Cattini as 'a world class musician but also a world class gentleman'. Carl Palmer, drummer with Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Asia, said: 'The drummers all over the UK owe you a lot for opening the door for all of us.' The Equals, who topped the charts in 1968 with Baby Come Back, called Cattini 'a true powerhouse of percussion and one of the most prolific drummers in British recording history'.

Read the report

• Tributes paid to drummer with dozens of number onesAmarillo singer Tony Christie says Clem Cattini was a "world class" musician and gentleman.BBC Beds Bucks And Herts · 4 Nov, 17:23

In this story: Clem Cattini · The Tornados · Tom Jones · Tony Christie · Dusty Springfield · Hertfordshire

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