Miles, who recorded with Hendrix, dies

02/27/2008 11:00 PM, AP


Drummer Buddy Miles, who played with Jimi Hendrix and sang in the claymation commercials featuring the California Raisins in the 1980s, has died. He was 60.

Miles, who had been suffering from congestive heart failure, died Tuesday night in Austin, publicist Duane Lee said.

"He loved to laugh," Lee told The Associated Press on Wednesday night. "We spent more time laughing than anything else. He was a great joke teller."

Miles, who was born in Omaha, Neb., was performing with his father's jazz-influenced combo by the age 11. He then went on to play for The Delfonics, The Ink Spots and Wilson Pickett, according to his Web site.

He co-founded the band Electric Flag in 1967. He also co-founded the Band of Gypsys with Hendrix and Billy Cox, the Web site said.

Miles was drummer on Hendrix's landmark "Electric Ladyland" album before officially joining Band of Gypsys a few months later. Miles is best known for "Them Changes," a song he wrote and performed.

According to Miles' Web site, those he performed with included Stevie Wonder, Muddy Waters, Barry White, David Bowie, George Clinton, Santana and Bootsy Collins.

"You name it, he sat in with them," longtime friend Victoria Rose told the Omaha World-Herald.

Omaha musician Craig Balderston remembers jamming with Miles occasionally during the mid-90s.

"He would sit in and sing with us. He was a fantastic drummer and a fantastic singer," Balderston told the newspaper.