re: Endless Sleep - The Obituary Thread

James Mack Van Eaton (December 23, 1937 – February 9, 2024), known as Jimmy Van Eaton or J. M. Van Eaton, was an American rock and roll drummer, singer and record producer, best known for his recordings as the drummer in sessions with Jerry Lee Lewis and others at Sun Records in the 1950s. Lewis referred to him as "The creative rock 'n' roll drummer". He was one of the last surviving figures from the golden age of Memphis’ Sun Records

He featured notably contributed to records by Jerry Lee Lewis, such as "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", on which he regularly played with the guitarist Roland Janes.
In addition to recordings by Lewis and Riley, Van Eaton performed on recordings by other Sun musicians, including Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Charlie Feathers, Bill Justis, and Ray Smith.

The very pulse of Sun Records, Van Eaton’s distinctive bluesy backbeat and frenetic fills helped define the sound and feel of Sam Phillips’ label, and his playing would power numerous all-time classics like Lewis’ "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," Riley’s “Red Hot,” Bill Justis’ "Raunchy” and “Lonely Weekends” by Charlie Rich.