Clem Cattini obituary

Drummer who as a session musician made an unsung contribution to more than 40 No 1 singles

The drummer Clem Cattini, who has died aged 86, had the distinction of playing on more than 40 No 1 singles. Largely unknown outside the music business, he was revered inside it as one of the best session musicians of his generation.

Over a 45-year period from 1960 to 2005, Cattini provided the backbeat for dozens of British No 1s, including The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore), by the Walker Brothers, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, by Dusty Springfield (both 1966), and Everlasting Love, by Love Affair (1968), as well as many other top 20 hits.