# Ray Appleton

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American jazz drummer (1941–2015)

Ray Appleton Also known as "Killer" Ray Appleton Born Otis Ray Appleton August 23, 1941 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. Died October 7, 2015 (aged 74) Genres Jazz Instruments Drums

Musical artist

**Otis Ray Appleton** (August 23, 1941 – October 7, 2015) was an American jazz drummer.

## Early life

Born in [Indianapolis](/source/Indianapolis), [Indiana](/source/Indiana), his interest in drums began when visiting the local fire department to hear their "Drum and Bugle Corps" practice. He played in school bands, but hearing [Freddie Hubbard](/source/Freddie_Hubbard) and [James Spaulding](/source/James_Spaulding) led to a serious interest in jazz.

## Career

Appleton toured and recorded with [John Coltrane](/source/John_Coltrane), Freddie Hubbard, [Wes Montgomery](/source/Wes_Montgomery) and others. Due to a car accident and [diabetes](/source/Diabetes_mellitus), he lost part of his left leg in 1997.[1] He reportedly received his nickname "killer" from bassist [Larry Ridley](/source/Larry_Ridley) and became a person of note in Indianapolis's jazz community.[2]

## Personal life

Appleton died of congestive heart failure on October 7, 2015, at age 74.[3]

## Discography

### As leader

- *Killer Ray Rides Again* (Sharp Nine, 1996)[4]

### As sideman

**With [David Hazeltine](/source/David_Hazeltine)**

- *4 Flights Up* (Sharp Nine, 1995)[5][6]

**With [Freddie Hubbard](/source/Freddie_Hubbard)**

- *[Backlash](/source/Backlash_(Freddie_Hubbard_album))* (1967)

**With [Jimmy Witherspoon](/source/Jimmy_Witherspoon)**

- *[The Blues Is Now](/source/The_Blues_Is_Now)* (1967)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Murph, John. ["Jazz Departments: "KiIler" Ray Appleton: Once Upon a Time in the Midwest - By John Murph — Jazz Articles"](https://jazztimes.com/articles/87248-kiiler-ray-appleton-once-upon-a-time-in-the-midwest). Jazztimes.com. Retrieved 2015-10-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Williams2014_2-0)** David Leander Williams (2014). [*Indianapolis Jazz: The Masters, Legends and Legacy of Indiana Avenue*](https://books.google.com/books?id=uPN0AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA145). The History Press. pp. 145–146. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-62619-403-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-62619-403-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Long, Kyle (14 October 2015). ["Remembering Killer Ray | A Cultural Manifesto | NUVO News | Indianapolis, IN"](http://www.nuvo.net/ACulturalManifesto/archives/2015/10/14/remembering-killer-ray). Nuvo.net. Retrieved 2015-10-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*Killer Ray Rides Again*](https://www.allmusic.com/album/killer-ray-rides-again-mw0000775292) at [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic_(identifier)). Retrieved May 2, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [*Four Flights Up*](https://www.allmusic.com/album/four-flights-up-mw0000610878) at [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic_(identifier)). Retrieved May 2, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Penguin9_6-0)** [Cook, Richard](/source/Richard_Cook_(journalist)); [Morton, Brian](/source/Brian_Morton_(Scottish_writer)) (2008). [*The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings*](/source/The_Penguin_Guide_to_Jazz) (9th ed.). [Penguin](/source/Penguin_Books). pp. 677–678. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-141-03401-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-141-03401-0).

## External links

- [Ray Appleton website](https://killerrayappleton.net/Home.html)

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