BIOGRAPHY
Jabo Starks, born John Starks on October 26, 1938 in Mobile, Alabama, is an American funk and blues drummer, best known for his drumming tenure with legendary singer, James Brown.
Jabo, along with his colleague, Clyde Stubblefield, ranks as one of the most sampled drummers of contemporary hip hop and R&B recordings.
Starks played on many of James Brown's hits, either as the sole drummer or in tandem with Clyde Stubblefield, including "The Payback", "Sex Machine", "Super Bad", and "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing".
Starks has also backed numerous artists produced or managed by James Brown, including Lyn Collins, The JBs, and Bobby Byrd.
John "Jabo" Starks, who had leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, died at his home on May 1, 2018; he was 79.