Cozy Powell

Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Graham Bonnet, Brian May, Whitesnake, Emerson, Lake & Powell, and Black Sabbath.

Powell appeared on at least 66 albums, contributing to many other recordings. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential drummers of all time; many rock drummers have cited him as a major influence.

Colin Trevor Flooks (Cozy Powell) was born in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on 29 December 1947 and was adopted. He never knowingly met his birth parents. He started playing drums aged 12 in the school orchestra, thereafter playing along in his spare time to popular singles of the day. The first band Powell was in, the Corals, played each week at the youth club in Cirencester. They also played at a youth club in Latton, seven miles (11 km) from Cirencester. During this time the band broke the world record for non-stop playing without playing the same song twice. Aged 15, Cozy had already worked out an impressive drum solo.

The stage name Cozy was borrowed from the jazz drummer Cozy Cole. His last name Powell was taken from his adoptive mother's maiden name.

The semi-professional circuit was next with The Sorcerers, a vocal-harmony pop band. The late nights and usual on-the-road exploits began to affect his education, and Powell left to take an office job to finance the purchase of his first set of Premier drums. The Sorcerers performed in the German club scene of the 1960s.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.