Joey Kramer was born on June 21, 1950. He grew up in The Bronx, a notoriously rough neighborhood located in New York. Kramer discovered his passion for drumming at an early age and at the young age of fourteen, he was a member of a band known as The Medallions.

Joey continued to develop his drumming talents throughout his high school years. When his drums were taken away by his father, Joey borrowed a set from his classmate Steven Tyler. Although he would not officially join forces with the vocalist for a number of years, it was a sign of things to come.

Eventually, in 1970, Joey would reconnect with Steven Tyler. Lead vocalist and songwriter Tyler, lead guitarist and songwriter Joe Perry, bass player Tom Hamilton, and guitarist Brad Whitford, along with Joey Kramer, the group’s drummer and percussionist, joined forces to produce their bluesy rock sound. At this time, Joey and his group relocated to Boston. It wasn’t until 1973 that the group became known as Aerosmith, a name actually suggested by Kramer.

Throughout his time with the group, Kramer often served as the voice of reason for the band. When Tyler and Perry, who became known as "The Toxic Twins" for their partying lifestyle and hard drug use, became out of control during shows, Kramer could always be counted on to deliver a solid and consistent performance. Reportedly, Joey was also the one who was frequently responsible for collecting money owed to the band for their performances. When tensions caused several members to depart from the group, Kramer remained steadfast in his loyalty to Tyler.

While most of Aerosmith’s members have written songs for the group, Kramer has composed the fewest. Perhaps his most notable writing credit is the single "Pandora’s Box," which was included on Get Your Wings, the group’s second set of recordings. To this day, Joey is an integral part of both the band’s success and sound.

Joey is married to April Kramer, and the couple resides in Marshfield, Massachusetts. Their son, Jessey Kramer, has followed in his father’s footsteps to become an accomplished rock drummer. He even filled in for his rock star dad on several occasions when Joey was unable to perform.

YUDDY