Preston Epps
Preston Eugene Epps, born on July 19, 1930, in Mangum, Oklahoma, is an American
percussionist. He learned to play various percussion instruments, including the
bongos, while stationed in Okinawa during the Korean War and after his military
service, settled in Southern California, where he began performing in local
coffee shops and taking on odd jobs. His breakthrough came when Arthur Laboe, a
local disc jockey, signed him to Original Sound Records. The label released his
debut single "Bongo Rock" in 1959, which peaked at number 14 on the Billboard
Hot 100. The follow-up single, "...
