Joseph Michael Kramer (born June 21, 1950) is an American musician best known as the drummer of the hard rock band Aerosmith, which was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Kramer is credited with originating the name Aerosmith. In his memoir, Kramer revealed that he idly conceived the name Aerosmith while listening to Harry Nilsson's album Aerial Ballet in 1968, two years before the band was formed. Kramer insists that there is no connection between the name "Aerosmith" and Sinclair Lewis' novel Arrowsmith. Shortly before joining Aerosmith, Kramer moved to Boston and was attending Berklee College of Music[7] and worked with Chubby & the Turnpikes (later to be known as Tavares) alongside Bernie Worrell.
Kramer's memoir, Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top, was released on June 30, 2009.[8]
Kramer made a guest appearance in the 22nd season (2010–11) of The Simpsons, in the episode "The Ned-Liest Catch", as a former partner of Bart's teacher Mrs. Krabappel, as told in the third-season episode "Flaming Moe's. In 2015, NECA released a "Simpsons-ized" action figure of Kramer, as well as the other members of Aerosmith, as part of the fourth series in the company's Simpsons 25th Anniversary collectible figure line.
In 2013, Kramer announced a partnership with Comfort Foods, Inc. to roast, package and distribute his whole bean, organic coffee line: Rockin’ & Roastin’ Coffee. In 2015, he announced a business partnership with Les Otten,[9] the former vice chairman of the Boston Red Sox, to open two Joey Kramer's Rockin’ & Roastin’ Café and Restaurant locations in Newry, Maine, at the foot of the Sunday River Ski Resort; and North Attleborough, Massachusetts.[10] The Newry location closed in 2016.[11] The North Attleborough location closed in 2017.
Kramer's second wife, Linda, died on June 22, 2022, at age 55.[12]
Kramer talking to fans at a question and answer prior to an Aerosmith concert in Chicago, in June 2012
Kramer currently endorses Pearl drums, Zildjian cymbals and sticks (including his own signature model), plus Remo heads. He has also used many other brands of drums including Ludwig with whom he was closely associated with for much of his career up until switching to Pearl. In the past he has also used sets by Fibes, Tama and DW.[13]
Drums
Pearl Crystal Beat series drums:
24"x18" bass drum
13"x10" mounted tom
16"x16" floor tom
18"x16" floor tom
14"x6.5" UltraCast snare
Cymbals: Avedis Zildjian:
15" A Custom rezo hi-hats
19" A Custom projection crash
20" A crash/ride
21" A mega bell bell ride
14" A Custom mastersound hi-hats
19" K Custom hybrid china
Sticks: Zildjian Joey Kramer signature sticks in green dip
