Don Heffington, a versatile drummer who played on recordings for Bob Dylan and Emmylou Harris and was a member of Lone Justice during the 1980s, died Tuesday. He was 70.
Heffington reportedly had been hospitalized with leukemia, Variety reported.
He also appeared in Harris’ Hot Band and appeared on several albums, including “Blue Kentucky Girl” in 1979 and “White Shoes” in 1983.
Heffington was the second drummer for Lone Justice and was on the group’s debut for the Geffen label, the website reported.
Heffington also appeared with Dylan on “Empire Burlesque” and “Knocked Out Loaded,” Sam Phillips’ “Martinis & Bikinis” and “Omnipop,” the Wallflowers’ “Bringing Down the Horse,” Adam Sandler’s “What’s Your Name” and “Stan and Judy’s Kid,” and Dwight Yoakam’s “Population Me,” Variety reported.
Many of his collaborators from the last five decades paid tribute Wednesday afternoon in conversations with Variety.
“Like Ringo, he didn’t play drums, he played songs,” former Lone Justice member Marvin Etzioni told Variety. “Any songwriter who played with Don knows that.”