Bernie Pershey
Bernard Pershey (born in Joliet, Illinois) is an American drummer and record producer.
Bernie Pershey | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Bernard Pershey |
| Genres | Rock, heavy metal, blues rock, country, folk, Progressive rock, Fusion |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer |
| Instruments | drums, percussion |
| Years active | 1967 to current |
| Associated acts | Eric Burdon, Beth Hart, Walter Trout, Edgar Winter |
| Website | www |
Biography
Pershey began playing drums at the age of 8. In his early years he was part of many psychedelic rock and hard rock bands such as Trilogy, White Lightning, This Oneness, Brainiac and Madame X.
During the 70s and 80s he was a session drummer for acts like Olivia Newton-John, Henry Gaffney, Chuck Berry, Michael Thompson, Jennifer Batten, Glenn Meganck, Dwight Twilley, Pat Vidas Flight and many more.
In 1988 he joined Edgar Winter for 2 years. His drumming on the song Frankenstein" is featured in the Tina Turner biopic What's Love Got to Do with It. In 1992 he joined blues Walter Trout's band for worldwide tours and 9 albums, until he left in 2001 and joined Eric Burdon and replaced Aynsley Dunbar. From 2001–2005 he was a touring member of Burdon, incl. Dean Restum, Dave Meros (of Spock's Beard) and his old friend Martin Gerschwitz (who was also in Trout's band).
From 2002 to 2005 he was also a member of Beth Hart, which he left to play exclusive for Burdon, before Burdon parted ways with his band members soon after to form a new band. Pershey played of Hart's Leave The Light On.
Since 2008 he has performed with the blues musician Eric Sardinas and his band Eric Sardinas and Big Motor. The Eric Sardinas band is a three piece power blues outfit, with Sardinas on guitar, Levell Price on bass, and Pershey on drums. This line up had toured in support of the band's latest CD Eric Sardinas and Big Motor.
Pershey is also producing music for the Chicago Producers Circle, and partnering Dean Restum at Mustang Brothers Productions, as well as recording drum tracks and client demos at the Bad Jack Studios in Arcadia, California, which he now owns.[1] He also currently works with Eddie St. James, Mike Albert (ex-Megadeth), Chico Rey, Jeff Waldon, Maid of Mettle and others.[2]