# Gary Driscoll > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gary_Driscoll > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gary_Driscoll.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Driscoll > Source revision: 1306767173 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American drummer (1946–1987) Gary Driscoll Born (1946-04-18)April 18, 1946 Died June 8, 1987(1987-06-08) (aged 41) Ithaca, New York, U.S. Genres Rock, R&B Occupation Drummer Years active 1965–1987 Musical artist **John Gary Driscoll** (April 18, 1946 – June 8, 1987) was an American [R&B](/source/R%26B)-style rock drummer who performed in a number of successful bands from the 1960s until his unsolved murder.[1] ## Music career He first entered the music scene when he joined Ronnie Dio and the Prophets in June 1965, fronted by [Ronnie James Dio](/source/Ronnie_James_Dio). The band transformed into the Electric Elves, the Elves, and finally [Elf](/source/Elf_(band)) in 1969, releasing a few singles along the way.[2][3][4] They were eventually discovered by [Deep Purple](/source/Deep_Purple) bassist [Roger Glover](/source/Roger_Glover) who went on to produce all three of Elf's studio albums. Elf disbanded in 1975 when Gary Driscoll,[3] Ronnie James Dio,[3] [Micky Lee Soule](/source/Micky_Lee_Soule) (Elf's keyboardist),[3] and [Craig Gruber](/source/Craig_Gruber) (their bassist)[3] were recruited by Deep Purple guitarist [Ritchie Blackmore](/source/Ritchie_Blackmore) to form the rock band [Rainbow](/source/Rainbow_(rock_band)).[3] Driscoll was dismissed from Rainbow shortly after their debut album, entitled *[Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow](/source/Ritchie_Blackmore's_Rainbow)*, was recorded.[5] It is speculated that firing Gary was simply due to his R&B style of drumming, which did not sit well with Blackmore.[6][7] Driscoll was later replaced with British hard rocker, [Cozy Powell](/source/Cozy_Powell).[5] Although he was dismissed from Rainbow, Blackmore later remembered the drummer fondly but said he was very clumsy in the studio and live with Elf.[8] After his departure from Rainbow, Driscoll played in the band Dakota (1978–1980, from Scranton, formerly the Jerry Kelly Band), before starting [Bible Black](/source/Bible_Black_(band))[9] with Craig Gruber, future [Blue Cheer](/source/Blue_Cheer) guitarist [Duck MacDonald](/source/Duck_MacDonald) and singer [Jeff Fenholt](/source/Jeff_Fenholt). This band released their self-titled album as well as the albums *Ground Zero* and, with a few other musicians, *Burning at the Speed of Light*, none of which sold well. Driscoll found a day job in tile installation,[10] and made a little extra money on the side as a session musician. ## Murder Driscoll was murdered in [Ithaca, New York](/source/Ithaca%2C_New_York), on June 8, 1987. He had a residence nine miles away in [Newfield](/source/Newfield%2C_New_York).[10] Driscoll often visited his friend Robert Gelinas in Ithaca, and it was in the basement of this building that Driscoll was found dead, severely beaten and stabbed, with two gunshots to the head. Gelinas sold drugs out of his apartment, and had recently resorted to sleeping in a motel with his girlfriend Lynette Tome in order to hide from persistent customers disturbing him late at night, especially John Shillingford who had argued angrily with Gelinas over a cocaine sale. Shillingford carried a 32-caliber handgun which he stated was for defense against Charles Harvey who was an associate of Gelinas in the drug trade. Driscoll stopped by the apartment on June 7 as Gelinas and Tome were leaving for the night, and they said he could stay if he wanted to. Shillingford apparently entered the building and beat Driscoll late that night or early the next morning, cut him with a knife, and fired his gun twice at Driscoll's head. The gun was discarded nearby, recovered by police. Shillingford's fingerprints were identified on Driscoll's car found abandoned a few miles north at Cayuga Shopping Center.[11] Shillingford was acquitted after his attorney successfully challenged the handgun evidence. The handgun had been found on a roadway with a broken grip, and pieces of the grip were also found in a grassy field. Defense alleged that police investigators had [planted evidence](/source/False_evidence) at the crime scene, involving pieces of the gun grip reportedly found days later on the carpet of the apartment, which had already been searched thoroughly.[12] ## See also - [List of unsolved murders (1980–1999)](/source/List_of_unsolved_murders_(1980%E2%80%931999)) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-allmusiccredits_1-0)** ["Gary Driscoll Credits"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gary-driscoll-mn0000063226/credits). Allmusic. Retrieved March 25, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-how_the_name_elf_came_to_be_2-0)** Cramer, Jeff (November 14, 2009). ["Stone Cold Crazy"](http://jeffcramer.blogspot.com/2009/11/very-candid-conversation-with-craig.html). Jeff Cramer. Retrieved March 27, 2014. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Pavadona_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Pavadona_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Pavadona_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Pavadona_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Pavadona_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Pavadona_3-5) ["Ronny Dio's Early Years"](http://www.padavona.com/history.html). Pavadona.com. Retrieved December 8, 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-elfallmusic_4-0)** Prato, Gary. ["Elf"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/elf-mn0000168993). Allmusic. Retrieved March 26, 2014. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-rainbowalbum_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-rainbowalbum_5-1) Kent-Abbott, David. ["Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/ritchie-blackmores-rainbow-mw0000191535). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved March 25, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-blackmoreinterview_6-0)** Neal, Chris (2006). "Ritchie Blackmore". *Performing Songwriter*. **13** (94): 62–65. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1068-9664](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1068-9664). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-quietus_7-0)** ["A Highway Star: Deep Purple's Roger Glover Interviewed"](http://thequietus.com/articles/05569-deep-purple-interview). The Quietus. January 20, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (March 11, 2023). [*Ritchie Blackmore discussing Rainbow drummer Gary Driscoll*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtIfax1EfdI). Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via YouTube. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Only_recorded_live_performance_9-0)** Driscoll, Gary. ["Gary Driscoll Memorial page"](https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=246956452049340&story_fbid=205371139598550). www.facebook.com. Retrieved March 27, 2014. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-obit_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-obit_10-1) ["John Gary Driscoll"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/15392655/john_gary_driscoll/). *[The Ithaca Journal](/source/The_Ithaca_Journal)*. June 10, 1987. p. 5. Retrieved September 25, 2023. Hosted by newspapers.com. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Tome testifies she saw Shillingford with gun"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/29182931/1988_dricoll_trial/). *[The Ithaca Journal](/source/The_Ithaca_Journal)*. August 4, 1988. p. 3. Retrieved September 25, 2023. Hosted by newspapers.com. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Roth, Nelson E. (1997). [*New York State Police Evidence Tampering Investigation*](https://books.google.com/books?id=pdBYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA112). New York State Police. pp. 112–113. ## External links - [Gary Driscoll](https://www.discogs.com/artist/312412) discography at [Discogs](/source/Discogs) v t e Elf Ronnie James Dio Micky Lee Soule Gary Driscoll Craig Gruber David Feinstein Steve Edwards Mark Nauseef Doug Thaler Nick Pantas Studio albums Elf Carolina County Ball Trying to Burn the Sun Compilations The Gargantuan Elf Album Related bands Rainbow The Rods Bible Black Black Sabbath Dio Ian Gillan Band Gary Moore Deep Purple v t e Rainbow Ritchie Blackmore Candice Night Jens Johansson David Keith Bob Nouveau Ronnie James Dio Gary Driscoll Craig Gruber Micky Lee Soule Cozy Powell Jimmy Bain Mark Clarke Tony Carey David Stone Bob Daisley Roger Glover Don Airey Graham Bonnet Joe Lynn Turner Bobby Rondinelli David Rosenthal Chuck Burgi Paul Morris Greg Smith Doogie White John O'Reilly John Miceli Ronnie Romero Studio albums Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Rising Long Live Rock 'n' Roll Down to Earth Difficult to Cure Straight Between the Eyes Bent Out of Shape Stranger in Us All EPs Jealous Lover Live albums On Stage Finyl Vinyl Live in Germany 1976 / Live in Europe Deutschland Tournee 1976 Live in Munich 1977 Compilation albums The Best of Rainbow The Very Best of Rainbow Pot of Gold All Night Long: An Introduction Catch the Rainbow: The Anthology Video albums Live in Munich 1977 Songs "Man on the Silver Mountain" "Stargazer" "Since You Been Gone" "All Night Long" "I Surrender" "Stone Cold" "Street of Dreams" Related articles Discography Members Blackmore's Night Elf Deep Purple Black Sabbath Whitesnake Dio Heaven & Hell Yngwie Malmsteen Elegant Weapons Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF National France BnF data Artists MusicBrainz --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gary Driscoll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Driscoll) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Driscoll?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.