Russell Kunkel (born September 27, 1948) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician with many popular artists, including Bill Withers, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Chapin, Rita Coolidge, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Cass Elliot, Dan Fogelberg, Glenn Frey, Art Garfunkel, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Carole King, Lyle Lovett, Reba McEntire, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger, Carly Simon, Stephen Stills, James Taylor, Joe Walsh, Steve Winwood, Neil Young, and Warren Zevon.
[3] Kunkel's first single was a demo with Joel Sill for Trousdale Music, which included musicians Joe Osborn and Larry Knechtel.
[5] In early 1970s, while rehearsing for the upcoming tour, he met Chris Darrow, a former player of John Stewart's,[5] who was a friend of Peter Asher.
In 1970, Kunkel through his connection with producer Peter Asher, rehearsed "Fire and Rain" and suggested he use brushes instead of sticks to provide the backing beat to the song.
[7] In 1972, Kunkel with James Taylor and bassist Leland Sklar, guitarist Danny Kortchmar from The Flying Machine, and keyboardist Craig Doerge formed a band called The Section.
In 1981, Kunkel joined Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac to create the Bella Donna album, playing on seven out of ten tracks.
The same year, Kunkel worked for Bee Gees and performed on three of their songs: "Wildflower", "Cryin' Every Day", and "Be Who You Are", for the album Living Eyes.
[11] In 1983 he helped Jackson Browne and Danny Kortchmar to write a song called "Tender Is the Night" and during that time met with Alan White of Yes.
Thirty-nine years later, an album of the concert, Live in Hollywood, was produced by Peter Asher and released in CD and vinyl formats by Rhino Entertainment.
[17] In 2014, Judith Owen, along with her husband and musician Harry Shearer had issued an Ebb & Flow album where Kunkel, Sklar, and Wachtel performed on songs such as Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime", James Taylor's "Hey Mister", "I've Never Been To Texas", and "I Would Give Anything".
The song featured the Hungarian Studio Orchestra, Judith Owen and Danny Kortchmar and was issued in an album called Smalls Change by Twanky Records/BMG on April 13.
[6] Kunkel, Kortchmar, Sklar and Wachtel, along with guitarist Steve Postell, reunited to form a new band, The Immediate Family, which released its debut album Honey Don't Leave L.A. in May 2018 from Japanese Vivid Sound label.
[3] He has previously used Gretsch, Sonor, Yamaha, Pearl and Premier drums, as well as Remo drumheads, prior to switching to Evans in 1983.
[1] Other than drumming, he is credited with playing tambourine, shaker, cabasa, congas, timbales, castanets, wood block, hi-hats, cardboard box, cowbell, marimba, bongos, bells, timpani, cajon and percussion.