Irving Cottler


Irving Cottler was an American musician, and an early member of The Wrecking Crew. His credits include "L-O-V-E", "Impossible", "Stardust", and "Unforgettable", recorded with Nat King Cole. Cottler also recorded and performed live with Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Walt Disney, Peggy Lee, Dinah Shore, Ella Fitzgerald, Neal Hefti, Nelson Riddle, Count Basie, and many others. He was best known as the drummer for Sinatra, with whom he worked for over 30 years beginning in 1955.

Career

Cottler, born in Brooklyn in 1918, was a self-taught percussionist who began providing rhythm for the bands performing in the Catskills in New York when he was only 14. At an early age he began working with such big-band leaders as Red Norvo, Van Alexander, Larry Clinton, Alvino Ray, Claude Thornhill, Les Brown and Tommy Dorsey.
In the early 1950s, Cottler was the drummer for the NBC live broadcasts from Hollywood, and for The Dinah Shore Show. Frank Sinatra made an appearance on the show and loved Cottler's distinctive sound. Sinatra offered Cottler double what NBC was paying him.
Cottler's first recording session with Sinatra was in October 1955 on "Love Is Here To Stay", and he played on many of the remaining Songs For Swingin' Lovers tracks, alternating with Alvin Stoller. From 1956 on, he was Sinatra's preferred drummer and played on a world tour with Sinatra in 1962, as well as on his many TV recordings.
Cottler went on to perform as the drummer and percussionist on dozens of hit songs for multiple artists, including " The Tender Trap", "South of the Border", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and "Nice 'n' Easy" with Sinatra. In the early 1960s, Cottler was the drummer and percussionist on many Disney films, including Herbie, The Jungle Book, and Mary Poppins.

Death

Cottler died of a heart attack in Templeton, California, at the age of 71.

Discography

With The Andrews Sisters
With Count Basie
  • Basie's in the Bag
With Pat Boone
With Hoagy Carmichael
  • Hoagy Sings Carmichael
With Ray Charles
  • Dedicated to You
With Rosemary Clooney
  • Love
With Nat King Cole
With Sammy Davis Jr.
  • It's All Over but the Swingin
With Billy Eckstine
  • Once More With Feeling
With Stan Kenton
  • Kenton / Wagner
With Barney Kessel
  • To Swing or Not to Swing
With Skip Martin and His Orchestra
  • Perspectives in Percussion
With Dean Martin
  • This Time I'm Swingin'!
  • Dream with Dean
With André Previn
With Carly Simon
  • Playing Possum
With Frank Sinatra
With Keely Smith'
  • ''The Intimate Keely Smith''