Keef Hartley

Keef Hartley (born Keith Hartley in Preston, Lancashire, England on 8 April 1944; died 26 November 2011) was a British drummer and bandleader. Hartley's career began as the replacement for Ringo Starr as drummer for rory storm and the hurricanes, a popular Liverpool-based band. Subsequently he played and recorded with The Artwoods then achieved some notability as John Mayall's drummer before forming the Keef Hartley Band, mixing elements of jazz, blues, and rock and roll into a jazz-rock sound comparable to Blood, Sweat, and Tears and Chicago. The group played at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and released four popular albums, including Halfbreed and The Battle of North West Six.

After disbanding, Keef released a 'solo' album (Lancashire Hustler 1973) and then formed Dog Soldier with Miller Anderson (g), Paul Bliss (b), Derek Griffiths (g) and Mel Simpson (k). They released an eponymous album in 1975 which had a remastered release in early 2011 on CD on the Esoteric label.

In 2007, Hartley released a ghostwritten autobiography, Halfbreed (A Rock and Roll Journey That Happened Against All the Odds). Hartley wrote about his life growing up in Preston, and his career as a drummer and bandleader, including the Keef Hartley Band's appearance at Woodstock in 1969.

Discography
Keef Hartley Band Halfbreed (1969)
The Battle of North West Six (1969)
The Time is Near (1970) - UK #41
Overdog (1971)
Seventy-Second Brave (1972)
Not Foolish, Not Wise (2003)

Solo Lancashire Hustler (1973)

Little Big Band Little Big Band (live at Marquee Club) (1971)

Dog Soldier Dog Soldier (1975)


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