Biography
Hubert Anderson emerged as a California percussionist steeped in gospel traditions. His great-grandfather R.H. Davis shared credit for writing the 1869 hymn "Heaven's My Home." Anderson later teamed with Johnny Cash, the Man in Black, on the Columbia release Hymns From the Heart, a project that blended gospel with country elements. The album's producers paired him on vibraphone alongside pianist Floyd Cramer to striking effect. Use of the vibraphone failed to gain traction in country circles, and Decca executives labeled Willie Nelson's decision to feature the instrument on one session an "abomination." Anderson nevertheless adopted the vibraphone as a signature sound and frequently positioned it in contexts previously untouched by the instrument. Along with his mentor Milt Holland, a veteran studio drummer and percussionist, Anderson received wider notice in the early '70s when certain acts began listing extensive instrumental personnel in fine print to underscore the labor behind their recordings. He had in fact been contributing to sessions since the '50s. His warmly tuned percussion also appeared regularly within the exotica genre, another arena where such meticulously executed instrumental work stood out.
Singles