Butch Haynes

Harold Lewis Haynes, better know as Butch Haynes, was born in the Bay Area (Berkeley) in 1943. He got his start playing percussion instruments under the tutelage of James Levi on New Year's Eve, 1955. Butch started his professional career during his junior year at Berkeley High School, 1960, with the Ulysses Crockett Afro-Jazz Sextet. This band also included James Levi on timbales/drums, while Butch played conga drums. Butch then started performing as lead drummer with Ruth Beckford and her Haitian Dance Company for 10 years until Miss Beckford's retirement in 1970.

Beginning in the 1970's, Butch started recording and/or performing with such artists as: Paul Jackson, former bassist with Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Armando Peraza, Karl Perezza, Juma Santos, Jaco Pastorius, Shelia E., Herbie Hancock, Jorge Santana, Don Alias, Bill Summers, Pete Escovedo among many others.

Butch traveled to Cuba in 1984 on a research documentary project, where he met and learned from an assortment of Cuban musicians including The Munequitos de Mantansas.