Dennis Elliott

Dennis Eliott

Elliott with Foreigner
Background information
Birth name Dennis Leslie Eliott
Born (1950-08-18) 18 August 1950
Instruments Drums
Years active 1969–1993, 2013, 2015
Associated acts Foreigner, If

Dennis Leslie Eliott (born 18 August 1950,[1][2] Peckham, London) was the original drummer for the rock band, Foreigner. He played with the band from 1976 until leaving between 1991 and 1993. He went on to become a sculptor.

Life and career

Dennis Leslie Elliott played the drums with his family band at age five in shows around London. As a teenager, he joined The Tea Set with his older brother Raymond, who sang and played trumpet. After The Tea Set, he became a member of The Shevelles at age sixteen. At eighteen, he played in the band Ferris Wheel and their album of the same name. When he was 19, Dennis joined the jazz/rock band If and recorded four LPs with the ensemble. They continually toured Europe and the US where he met & later married Iona Elliott on March 2, 1972. Later that year, Dennis joined The Roy Young Band & toured the UK & Europe and recorded four singles with that band over the following year.

Dennis Elliott with Maple Burl Wall Sculpture & Vessels.

From late 1973 thru early 1974, Elliott toured and played with various UK artists: Holly Mackerel, Doris Troy and Brett Marvin & The Thunderbolts. One memorable highlight was playing the prestigious English jazz club Ronnie Scott's with Ms. Troy. Later in 1974, Dennis toured the UK and played on former Mott the Hoople lead singer Ian Hunter's first solo recording, Ian Hunter. After emigrating to the US in April 1975, he became a US Resident Alien. Dennis later recorded on Ian Hunter's Overnight Angels album while with his next band, Foreigner.

Dennis was the original drummer for Foreigner when the band started in 1976.[3][4] He officially left in January 1993.

After leaving the music industry Elliott turned to sculpture, working primarily in the medium of wood.[5] Self-taught, many of his works have been vessels made of burlwood, sculpted wall mirrors, wall sculptures, and orbital sculptures.[6]

On June 2, 1990, Elliott and his wife, Iona, were rescued by the US Coast Guard after jumping from their yacht Charisma III which had caught fire.[7] Elliott became a US citizen in 1993.[6]

Despite leaving Foreigner, Dennis Elliott still plays with his former bandsmates whenever they perform in Florida where he currently resides. He has performed with The Lou Gramm Band in venues at Sebring, Florida and the Hard Rock Cafe Velvet Sessions in Orlando Florida. On January 9, 2013, Dennis joined Foreigner on stage at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida to play on one of the band's biggest hits, "Hot Blooded". And at The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Florida on January 15, 2015, Foreigner were joined on stage by Elliott and former bassist Rick Wills to once again play "Hot Blooded".[8]

Discography

The Shevells

The Ferris Wheel

IF

The Roy Young Band

Tony Ashton and Jon Lord

Ian Hunter

Foreigner

Ian Lloyd

Mick Jones

Museum Collections

Special Collections

References

  1. ↑ "Today in history". The New York Times. Associated Press. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "Dennis Elliot at the Wayback Machine (archived 28 September 2007), Ezrock.com
  3. ↑ Gloss, Megan (18 May 2012). "They've been 'Juke Box Heroes'". Telegraph Herald. Dubuque, IA. Retrieved 18 August 2014 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
  4. ↑ Stemkovsky, Ilya (1 August 2010). "Jason Sutter". Modern Drummer. Retrieved 18 August 2014 – via HighBeam Research.
  5. ↑ Pandolfi, Keith (1 November 2003). "After three decades spent banging out songs such as 'Hot Blooded' and 'Urgent,' former Foreigner drummer Dennis Elliott left rock'n'roll to pursue his real passion—woodworking". Art Business News. Retrieved 18 August 2014 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
  6. 1 2 "Biography for Dennis Elliott", Askart.com
  7. ↑ "Musician, wife go overboard as yacht burns". Chicago Sun-Times. 4 June 1990. Retrieved 18 August 2014 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
  8. ↑ "Sarasota 2015". Facebook. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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