Roger Hawkins (1945–2021), Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section drummer for Aretha Franklin
Roger Hawkins was a drummer with the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, who played on hits including Aretha Franklin’s (1942–2018) “Respect.”Hawkins began playing with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section – also known as the Swampers – in the 1960s. As session musicians, their names weren’t well known, and they often weren’t even credited on the records they played for, but their sound became influential and was heard on many Top 40 hits.