ANDY WHITE - INTERVIEW / THE DRUMMER WHO RECORDED WITH THE BEATLES

LedgerAndy White, 81, who has been a session drummer for more than 50 years, gives a drum lesson to Brian McGowan, 17, of Little Falls, a member of the order of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh Essex Chapter, at the Shillelagh Club in West Orange.

Here is what other musicians love about Andy White: He’s cool. Always was, still is. He is what cool was in the beginning, before the word — like musicians — became overexposed and commercialized. A coolness earned with his wrists that doesn’t need to be reinforced with his mouth.

Born during the Hoover administration, White’s still the guy to grab a Guinness with. He doesn’t volunteer stories or name-drop — doesn’t have to. But if prodded, he can tell you what it was like to tour with Marlene Dietrich and Chuck Berry, or play drums for Tom Jones. He can talk touring the world, and recording with the Smithereens. He’ll tell you about teaching pipe and drum to the New York City police and working with Steven Van Zandt, of the E Street Band and "The Sopranos," on a new movie.

And he can tell you about a late summer day when he was called to the studio to provide a steady beat for an up-and-coming band out of Liverpool recording their first album.

That’s White you hear on the Beatles’ "P.S. I Love You," with Ringo Starr playing maracas. And on most versions of "Love Me Do," White is keeping the beat while Ringo taps tambourine. White also recorded a version of "Please Please Me."

READ MORE... HERE.