BIOGRAPHY

Grady Tate

Grady Tate, born Grady Bernard Tate on January 14, 1932 in Durham, North Carolina, was an American hard bop and soul-jazz drummer. As a singer, Tate is known for his distinctive baritone voice. In addition to his work as sideman, Tate released numerous albums as leader and vocalist, as well as lending his voice to a number of songs in the animated Schoolhouse Rock! series.

Throughout Tate's professional music career, he worked with the likes of Lional Hampton, Jimmy Smith, Grant Green, Lena Horne, Astrud Gilberto, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Blossom Dearie, Chris Connor, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Cal Tjader, Peggy Lee, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Tom Rapp, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Stanley Turrentine, Charles Earland, Quincy Jones, Stan Getz, Butch Cornell, Tony Bennett, Roberta Flack, Paul Simon, and Wes Montgomery. He also worked with Doc Severinsen as the drummer in the NBC Orchestra for The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (1968-1974).

Grady Tate died of Alzheimer's on October 8, 2017 at the age of 85.