A hall-of-fame R&B, funk, and pop drummer, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie's impeccable time and mastery of backbeats and grooves (especially his signature "Purdie Shuffle") kept him in demand through several decades. Moving from his home state, Maryland, to New York in 1961, he scuffled between gigging and recording session work.  But a 1965 session with James Brown brought him to the attention of R&B stars like King Curtis. He toured with Curtis and Aretha Franklin in 1970 and was Franklin's music director until 1975.  He appeared on fusion albums with Grover Washington, Jr., George Benson, and notably Larry Coryell. Mr. Purdie was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013.