Did Bernard Purdie Play With The Beatles? The Shocking Truth

It’s a fun fact that’s been floating around for a long time – Bernard Purdie played on The Beatles early studio tracks in place of Ringo Starr. Purdie was a top session drummer who recorded on tons of music, but he wasn’t credited for any Beatles songs. So, was it really true?

The truth is, it’s highly unlikely that Purdie ever played on a Beatles record. While he was already an established studio musician in New York City at the time The Beatles were recording their early albums, it’s important to remember that the band primarily recorded in London. It’s extremely unlikely that Purdie would have been able to make that kind of journey back and forth during a period when transatlantic flights were still a fairly new and expensive endeavor.

That doesn’t mean Purdie never worked with the Fab Four. He was a big fan of their music, and in the 1970s, he even played a few gigs with Paul McCartney. While he might not have actually played with the Beatles in the studio, he’s still considered a legendary drummer whose work helped shape the sound of popular music. It’s just that his talents weren’t used on any of the Fab Four’s early albums.