Jimmy Maelen (born March 26, 1940 – January 14, 1988) was an American percussionist from the 1960s to 1980s, who worked with many artists including Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Peter Gabriel, James Taylor, Dire Straits, Barry Manilow, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Madonna, Bryan Adams, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, David Bowie and John Lennon.
During the golden years of the disco era he was especially successful, working with the remix team of Michael Barbiero and John Luongo and overdubbing on extended dance versions of disco classics such as Gonzales' "I Haven't Stopped Dancin' Yet", The Jacksons' "Blame It on the Boogie" and "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", Dan Hartman's "Vertigo/Relight My Fire", Jackie Moore's "This Time Baby" and many more.
He also played on the Dire Straits Brothers in Arms album, he appeared with Roxy Music at Live Aid in London.
At the time of his death he was producing his first rock band Cherri Red, along with Gary Chester at the Edison Recording Studio in New York City.
Solo album With Bryan Adams With Peter Allen With Alphaville With Blood, Sweat & Tears With Irene Cara With Desmond Child With Linda Clifford With Jude Cole With Ron Dante With Mink DeVille With Karla DeVito With Dion DiMucci With Duran Duran With Bryan Ferry With Roberta Flack With Peter Gabriel With Gloria Gaynor With Debbie Gibson With Steve Goodman With Amy Grant With Henry Gross With Gwen Guthrie With Hall & Oates With Dan Hartman With Loleatta Holloway With Janis Ian With Paul Jabara With Garland Jeffreys With Al Johnson With Kiss With Ben E. King With Gladys Knight & the Pips With Kool & the Gang With John Lennon and Yoko Ono With O'Donel Levy With Nils Lofgren With Barry Manilow With Barry Mann With Jimmy McGriff With Frankie Miller With Stephanie Mills With Laura Nyro With Odyssey With Yoko Ono With Leslie Pearl With Vicki Sue Robinson With Roxy Music With Jennifer Rush With Helen Schneider With Eddie Schwartz With Neil Sedaka With Marlena Shaw With Carly Simon With Lonnie Smith With Lonnie Liston Smith With Belouis Some With Bert Sommer With The Spinners With Billy Squier With Dire Straits With Barbra Streisand With James Taylor With Andrea True With Bonnie Tyler With Frankie Valli With Kenny Vance With Village People With Loudon Wainwright III