SKF NOTE: Among my interviews with drummers, a few are the only known interviews – at least full length interviews – with a few drummers. Jim Gordon is one. Frankie Dunlop is another. And Fred Below is a third.

Fred Below is arguably the father of Chicago electric blues drumming. Mr. Below recorded with Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, the Aces, Little Walter, Junior Wells, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, and other pivotal blues musicians.

This July 9, 1982 interview was published in Modern Drummer‘s September 9, 1983 issue as, “Fred Below: Magic Maker.”

I recorded this interview at my MD desk in New Jersey using a suction cup mic on a telephone land line connected to a small audio cassette recorder. Mr. Below was on a land line in his Chicago home.

Part A of this full interview, plus several excerpts from the full interview, are on my YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@scottkfish4292