Ricky Fataar

Ricky Fataar
Svickova · Public domain · source
Name	Ricky Fataar
Birth date	1952-09-05
Birth place	Durban, South Africa
Instruments	Drums, guitar, bass, vocals
Years active	1960s–present
Associated acts	The Flames, The Beach Boys, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt

Ricky Fataar is a South African-born musician, actor, and record producer whose career spans pop, rock, soul, and film. He rose to prominence as a child prodigy with the Durban-based group The Flames before joining an established American band and later working extensively as a session drummer and producer. His collaborations include numerous prominent artists and his contributions bridge Southern African popular music with international rock, folk, and blues scenes.

Early life and background

Born in Durban, Natal Province in 1952, Fataar grew up in a family embedded in the local Indian Ocean port city's cultural life, exposed early to jazz and skiffle through neighborhood musicians. He was influenced by touring acts and local scenes in KwaZulu-Natal and performed at venues associated with the region's popular music circuit, sharing stages with artists visiting from London and Johannesburg. His formative years coincided with developments in British Invasion pop, Motown R&B, and South African broadcasting such as Springbok Radio, which shaped his early repertoire and professional opportunities.

Career beginnings and The Flames

Fataar first achieved recognition as a member of The Flames, a Durban-based band that recorded locally and internationally, performing material influenced by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Curtis Mayfield. The Flames toured and recorded in London and engaged with producers and labels connected to the British pop industry, leading to releases that placed them within the circuit of acts promoted alongside The Kinks, Small Faces, and contemporaneous soul acts. Their work brought Fataar into contact with musicians and executives from Island Records, EMI, and other labels active in the late 1960s, positioning him for transnational collaboration.

The Beach Boys and session work

In the early 1970s, Fataar became the drummer for The Beach Boys during a period of personnel change that included members such as Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Al Jardine. His tenure with the band overlapped with studio projects and tours that featured production figures like Terry Melcher and arrangements reflecting contacts with Terry Riley-era experimentalism and American roots revivalism associated with The Band. Concurrently, Fataar worked as a session musician for artists including Carly Simon, Neil Young, and members of The Band collective, contributing to recordings alongside producers such as George Martin-era engineers and session coordinators from Los Angeles studios like Capitol Studios.

Solo projects and production work

After his high-profile band work, Fataar pursued solo projects and production, collaborating with singer-songwriters and blues artists including Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Bonnie Raitt. He contributed to albums emerging from the Los Angeles and Nashville scenes, working with labels and producers connected to Warner Bros. Records and Reprise Records. His production credits span roots-rock, soul, and soundtrack contributions tied to filmmakers and composers active in Hollywood, connecting him to industry figures such as Quincy Jones-affiliated arrangers and soundtrack supervisors for independent and studio films.

Acting and other media appearances

Fataar expanded into acting and film work, appearing in features and television productions that intersect with music-centric narratives and film festivals associated with Cannes, Toronto International Film Festival, and regional showcases. He contributed music to soundtracks and appeared in projects alongside actors and directors from the Anglo-American film industry, bringing his musician's perspective to collaborative multimedia ventures with cinematographers and composers from the Hollywood and international independent sectors.

Musical style and influences

Fataar's drumming and arranging reflect influences from Buddy Rich-inspired jazz technique, Hal Blaine-style studio craft, and the rhythmic sensibilities of Motown session players such as Benny Benjamin and The Funk Brothers. His guitar and vocal work show traces of Ray Charles-inflected soul, James Brown-era groove, and melodic tendencies associated with Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Across genres, his approach synthesizes South African rhythmic traditions with Anglo-American rock and American roots idioms, resonating with artists in the same orbit such as Ry Cooder, Van Morrison, and Jackson Browne.

Personal life and legacy

Fataar's legacy is preserved through recordings, live concert archives, and the influence he exerted on drummers and producers bridging Southern African and Northern Hemisphere popular music. His career intersects with institutions and events including Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, archival projects at Smithsonian Folkways, and retrospective exhibitions in Johannesburg and Los Angeles. Colleagues and historians reference his work in liner notes, oral histories, and documentaries that place him alongside contemporaries such as Mike Love, Stephen Stills, and session veterans from the Wrecking Crew era. His ongoing recognition includes participation in reunions and tribute concerts honoring the transnational trajectories of 20th-century popular music.

Category:South African musicians Category:1952 births Category:Living people