\n\tJ.M. \u201cJimmy\u201d Van Eaton, a pioneering rock \u2018n\u2019 roll drummer who played behind the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis<\/a> and Billy Lee Riley<\/a> at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, died Friday (Feb. 9) at age 86, a family member said.<\/p>\n \n\tVan Eaton, a Memphis native who came to the famous record label as a teenager, died at his home in Alabama after dealing with health issues over the last year, The Commercial Appeal<\/em> of Memphis\u00a0reported,<\/a>\u00a0with his wife, Deborah, confirming his death.<\/p>\n \n\tVan Eaton was known for his bluesy playing style that the newspaper said powered classic early-rock hits at Sun like \u201cWhole Lotta Shakin\u2019 Goin\u2019 On\u201d by Lewis and \u201cRed Hot\u201d by Riley. He also played with Bill Justis and Charlie Rich.<\/p>\n \n\tJames Mack Van Eaton initially began playing trumpet in a school band, but he soon moved to drums, saying in a 2015 interview that \u201cit was an instrument that intrigued me.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tVan Eaton had his own rock \u2018n\u2019 roll band called The Echoes that would record a demo at the recording studio operated by Sam Phillips. His work there led him to connect with Riley and later Lewis.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThe hardest man to play with in the world was Jerry Lee. I told every musician to stay out of this man\u2019s way,\u201d Phillips told The Commercial Appeal<\/em> in 2000. \u201cThe one exception was JM Van Eaton.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tVan Eaton became part of a core of musicians that performed at Sun through the 1950s, the newspaper reported.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3><\/div>\n\n
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