BIOGRAPHY
GRAHAM LEAR has garnered critical acclaim for his drumming worldwide. His roots in R&B, Rock and Jazz were honed through years of performing with musical giants such as Santana and Gino Vannelli, as well as a host of other equally talented musicians. Canadian rock icon Neil Peart has acknowledged Lear as an influence. Graham performed at the historic original Live Aid Concert (1985), Apple's US Festival in California (1982), Bill Graham's International Peace Walk in Moscow (1987) in addition to three appearances at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, London, England. He is the 2010 recipient of the FCLMA Lifetime Achievement Award, and was inducted into the FCLMA Hall of Fame in 2018.
Graham has toured and/or recorded with Gino Vannelli; Santana, Carlos Santana; REO Speedwagon; Saga; Paul Anka; Tom Grant; Gary Richrath; Sacbe’; Randy Porter; Gary Small; Suzi Stern; Ginny Barry; Clovis; Bidondo Bros.; Russian jazz pianist Andre Kitaev; Truck; Ian Tyson; George Olliver; Natural Gas; Riverson; Syberia; Paris Black; Johnny Martin; Joey Ortega; Les Percussion Des Montreal. Producers Dave Devore, Keith Olsen, Dave Tyson; David Foster; Henry Mancini; Dennis Lambert; Brian Potter, Jon Newton, Steve Sexton, Canadian icons Domenic Troiano, Russ Little and Guido Basso.
Originally from Plymouth, England, Graham began drumming at age eight, with the Police Boys Concert Band of London, Canada. Tutored by former alumni Don Johnson and Robert Comber, he also cites Canadian great Terry Clarke and Mandala drummer Penti ‘Whitey' Glan as musical influences. Study between tours at Los Angeles’ Dick Grove School of Music and with mentors Ralph Humphrey, Bernard Purdie, Duduka DaFonseca and John Perret culminated in a unique style validated by thousands of views of his drum solos on YouTube.
In 1974 Graham moved to Los Angeles with Canadian singer Gino Vannelli during which time the Grammy nominated Powerful People and Storm At Sunup were recorded, produced by A&M records icon Herb Alpert. The critically acclaimed Vannelli recording Gist Of the Gemini followed, produced with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick at Air Studios UK. Carlos Santana, hearing Vannelli's recordings on his European tour bus, tasked manager Bill Graham with finding Lear to audition for his band. The rock impresario personally located Graham in Toronto rehearsing with guitarist Domenic Troiano, and within the month, Lear was performing before a sold out Wembley stadium with Santana. Recordings from the ensuing European tour resulted in the double platinum album Moonflower for the group. 1987 found him with rock group REO Speedwagon for their U.S. and South American tours, and with the Canadian progressive group Saga for their European tours. Relocated to Portland OR in 1990 found Graham reunited with Gino Vannelli for his Yonder Tree CD on the Verve label, acclaimed by Gino as a personal favourite. The jazz project Clovis ensued with saxophonist Tom Bergeron of Western Oregon U. He also worked with Native American Music Award winner Gary Small, and multiple live dates with Joe Cocker percussionist Bobby Torres. He also performed with jazz/fusion ensemble Sacbe’ at the Berklee College Latin Cultural Festival Boston.
Video includes Saturday Night Live (’76 and ’82); Soul Train; P.B.S. Sound Stage; Kennedy Center Concert of the Americas, Viva Santana (CBS Video); REO Speedwagon (Vina Del Mar Festival Chile & Live in Hawaii), Paul Anka- Night of a Lifetime (PBS) and Live at Montreal Jazz Festival ’05.
The sampling and loop CD, Graham Lear's Latin Rock Drumscapes featuring Orestes Vilato on percussion, garnered a 4.5/5 rating in Electronic Musician. Graham was interviewed for Modern Drummer in ’82 and ’99 as well as Drums and Perc., Drums Etc., Sticks magazine and has performed at clinics in Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Toronto, St. Louis and Tampa.
His personal passion for music has always been R&B and jazz, having performed at the inaugural Niagara on the Lake Jazz Festival in 2014 and in 3 ensuing years.
He endorses DW drums, Zildjian cymbals, Remo heads, HeadHunters Sticks and LP Perc.
