Joey Kramer
The rhythmic anchor of Aerosmith since its formative days in Boston.
Joseph Michael Kramer, born June 21, 1950, is an American musician renowned as the drummer for the hard rock band Aerosmith. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, Kramer's career spans decades of influential music. Before joining Aerosmith, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston after moving there from New York City. His early musical journey included time with The Institution, a seminal New Jersey garage band.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Joseph Michael Kramer
- Alias
- Kramedog
- Born
- 21 June 1950
- Spouse
- April Kramer, 1979, 2007, Linda Kramer, 2009, 2022
- Origin
- The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
- Instrument
- Drums
- Genre
- Hard rock
- blues rock
- rock and roll
- glam metal
- heavy metal
- Occupation
- Musician
- songwriter
- businessman
Lore & Background
He wrote that he idly conceived the name while listening to Harry Nilsson's album Aerial Ballet in 1968, two years before the band was formed. He insists there is no connection between the name and Sinclair Lewis's novel Arrowsmith. His personal life includes his birth in the Bronx as the son of Doris and Mickey Kramer, a businessman. A man of faith, he is Jewish and had a bar mitzvah. In 2013, he launched Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee, a whole bean organic brand. By 2015, he announced a partnership with Les Otten to open two Joey Kramer's Rockin' & Roastin' Café and Restaurant locations, though these have since closed.
Reader's Guide
Kramer's equipment history reflects his long evolution as a drummer. He currently endorses Pearl drums, Zildjian cymbals and sticks (including his signature model), and Remo heads. His setup includes specific Pearl Crystal Beat series drums: a 24"x18" bass drum, 13"x10" mounted tom, two floor toms (16"x16" and 18"x16"), and a 14"x6.5" UltraCast snare. His cymbal choice features Avedis Zildjian pieces: 15" A Custom rezo hi-hats, a 19" A Custom projection crash, a 20" A crash/ride, a 21" A mega bell ride, 14" A Custom mastersound hi-hats, and a 19" K Custom hybrid china. He uses Zildjian Joey Kramer signature sticks in green dip. Historically, he was closely associated with Ludwig for much of his career before switching to Pearl, having also used sets by Fibes, Tama, and DW.
Did You Know?
- Kramer's early band The Institution had disbanded by 1969, and no documented event places them opening for Steel Mill on November 25, 1970.
- Kramer did not appear in the 2011 Simpsons episode 'The Ned-Liest Catch'.
- His memoir, Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top, was released on May 5, 2009.
- Kramer's second wife, Linda, died on June 22, 2022, at age 55.
More in Band Members & Collaborators
Elsewhere in Aerosmith
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced