Rick Marotta
Quick Facts
Biography
Richard Thomas Marotta (born January 7, 1948) is an American drummer and percussionist.He has appeared on recordings by leading artists such as Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Paul Simon, John Lennon, Hall & Oates, Stevie Nicks, Wynonna, Roy Orbison, Todd Rundgren, Roberta Flack, Peter Frampton, Quincy Jones, Jackson Browne, Al Kooper, Waylon Jennings, Randy Newman, Peter Gabriel, Kenny G, The Jacksons, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Warren Zevon, and Linda Ronstadt. He is also a composer who created music for the popular television shows, Everybody Loves Raymond and Yes, Dear
Biography
Marotta was born in New York City and taught himself to play drums at the age of nineteen.He was in a band called The Riverboat Soul Band, which released an album called Mess-up in 1968.
Marotta spent several years in the early 1970s as the drummer for his own group, the short-lived Brethren.Tom Cosgrove sang and played lead, Stu Woods played bass (he would later appear on Todd Rundgren's Something/Anything? album), and Mike Garson played keyboards. They released two albums; the first was the eponymous Brethren, which was mildly successful. The second, released as the band was crumbling, is almost impossible to find. The band had a unique sound, a mixture of rock and country, with traces of jazz and influences from Dr. John, who wrote the album notes and the song "Loop Garoo" for them.
Marotta has composed music for the television sitcoms, Everybody Loves Raymond and Yes, Dear.His brother, Jerry, is also a noted drummer and percussionist who has recorded and toured with Peter Gabriel.
Selected discography
With Bryan Ferry
- The Bride Stripped Bare (EG Records, 1978)
With Aretha Franklin
- Let Me in Your Life (Atlantic, 1974)
With Hall & Oates
- Abandoned Luncheonette (Atlantic, 1973)
With The Jacksons
- Destiny (Epic, 1978) – "Blame It on the Boogie"
With Robin Kenyatta
- Gypsy Man (Atlantic, 1973)
With Chaka Khan
- Chaka (album) (Warner Bros, 1978)
With John Lennon
- Mind Games (Apple, 1973)
With Herbie Mann
- Surprises (Atlantic, 1976)
- Brazil: Once Again (Atlantic, 1977)
With Randy Newman
- Little Criminals (Warner Bros, 1977)
With Linda Ronstadt
- Simple Dreams (Asylum, 1977)
With Roxy Music
- Avalon (EG Records, 1982)
With Carly Simon
- Hotcakes (Elektra, 1974)
- Spy (Elektra, 1979)
- Come Upstairs (Elektra, 1980)
- Torch (Warner Bros, 1981)
- Hello Big Man (Warner Bros, 1983)
- Letters Never Sent (Arista, 1994)
With Paul Simon
- There Goes Rhymin' Simon (Columbia, 1973)
With Steely Dan
- The Royal Scam (ABC, 1976)
- Aja (ABC, 1977) – "Peg"
- Gaucho (MCA, 1980) – "Hey Nineteen", "Time Out of Mind"
With James Taylor
- Walking Man (Warner Bros, 1974)
- Dad Loves His Work (Columbia, 1981)
With John Tropea
- Tropea (Video Arts, 1975)
With Edgar Winter
- Jasmine Nightdreams (Blue Sky, 1975)
With Michael Franks
- One bad habit (1980)
With Warren Zevon
- Excitable Boy (Asylum, 1978)