Lawrence "Yogi" Horton (October 1, 1953 – June 8, 1987)^[1] was an American R&B, funk, jazz and rock drummer. Horton worked and recorded as a session and touring drummer with a wide variety of musicians such as Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Ashford & Simpson, David Byrne, Deborah Harry, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Kenny G, The B-52's, and Jean-Michel Jarre among numerous others.^[2] His first recording was on Dave "Baby" Cortez's 1972 album Soul Vibration.^[3]

Horton recorded an instructional videocassette in 1983, which was released by DCI. Titled "The History of R&B/Funk Drumming", it is considered to be "one of the first instructional type videos of its kind."^[4] The video is long out of print, but can still be viewed on YouTube as of March 2021.^[5]

Horton, who suffered from bipolar disorder, died on June 8, 1987, when he jumped from a 17th-floor hotel window in New York shortly after performing in a Luther Vandross concert.^[6] Was (Not Was) dedicated their 1988 album What Up, Dog? to Horton; he performed on the album and it was released after his death.^[7]

Discography

• The Catherine Wheel (David Byrne, 1981)

With Lonnie Liston Smith

• Dreams of Tomorrow (Doctor Jazz, 1983)

With Gloria Gaynor

• Gloria Gaynor (Atlantic Records, 1982)

With Irene Cara

• Anyone Can See (Network Records, 1982)

With John Lennon and Yoko Ono

• Milk and Honey (Geffen, 1984)

With George Benson

• While the City Sleeps... (Warner Bros. Records, 1986)

With Linda Clifford

• I'll Keep on Loving You (Capitol, 1982)

With Ben E. King

• Street Tough (Atlantic Records, 1981)

With Cheryl Lynn

• Instant Love (Columbia Records, 1982)
• Preppie (Columbia Records, 1983)

With Aretha Franklin

• Jump to It (Arista Records, 1982)
• Get It Right (Arista Records, 1983)
• Who's Zoomin' Who? (Arista Records, 1985)
• Aretha (Arista Records, 1986)
• Through the Storm (Arista Records, 1989)

With Yoko Ono

• It's Alright (I See Rainbows) (Polygram Records, 1982)

With Jean Michel Jarre

• Zoolook (Disques Dreyfus, 1984)

With John Phillips

• Pay Pack & Follow (Eagle Records, 2001)

With Stephanie Mills

• Tantalizingly Hot (Casablanca Records, 1982)
• If I Were Your Woman (MCA Records, 1987)

With Was (Not Was)

• What Up, Dog? (Chrysalis Records, 1988)

References