Cozy Powell
A thunderous and in-demand session drummer whose powerful beats propelled some of hard rock's most iconic anthems and supergroups.
1947–1998 (age 51)·British rock drummer·Birthday: December 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Cozy Powell was the quintessential rock drummer, a powerhouse whose disciplined, driving style made him the first call for bands needing a rhythmic anchor. He shot to fame in the early 1970s with the Jeff Beck Group, but it was his work with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow that cemented his legend, laying down the stomping beat for hits like 'Since You Been Gone.' Powell never settled into a single band for long; he was a musical mercenary whose resume reads like a who's who of classic rock: Michael Schenker Group, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, and a stint alongside Emerson and Lake. His solo single 'Dance with the Devil' even cracked the UK Top 10. Known for his enormous drum kit and theatrical solos, Powell brought a stadium-sized energy to every recording and tour until his tragic death in a car accident, leaving a void in the rock world.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Cozy was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cozy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Cozy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1998Died at 51
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
Key Achievements
- Played on multiple hit albums, including Rainbow's 'Down to Earth' and Whitesnake's 'Slide It In.'
- Achieved a UK Top 5 hit in 1974 with his solo drum instrumental 'Dance with the Devil.'
- Was a member of the short-lived but notable supergroup Emerson, Lake & Powell in the 1980s.
- Recorded and toured with at least eight major rock acts, demonstrating exceptional versatility.
Did You Know?
He originally took drum lessons to join his school's marching band because they had a surplus of uniforms.
Powell was an avid motor racing fan and occasionally competed in sports car events.
His stage name 'Cozy' was adopted from the jazz drummer Cozy Cole.
He used a gong and a massive double bass drum setup that became a signature part of his live show.
“I'm not a timekeeper; I'm a driver. I make the band move.”
