By David Laurell

Called “the greatest rock ‘n roll drummer, past or present,” by the legendary “Architect of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” Little Richard, and lauded as the man who “put the funk in the rhythm” by “The Godfather of Soul,” James Brown, Charles “Keep-A-Knockin” Connor is not just a skilled drummer, but also a skilled dreamer.

Revered by percussionists the world over for being the first drummer to couple successive eighth notes with a loud backbeat to create the “choo-choo train” style of drumming, Connor has not only seen many of his dreams become a reality, but has become diligently dedicated to helping others do the same.

Born in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter to a Merchant Marine from the Dominican Republic and a Louisiana-born mother, Connor says that between the exotic Creole and Dominican blood coursing through his veins, and the Cajun, blues and down-island rhythms he was exposed to as a child, he was born to be a drummer. Captivated by the funeral bands that played Dixieland jazz through the streets of New Orleans when he was a child, Connor says he was most fascinated by the drummers who inspired him to start banging on pots when his father would break out in a Calypso song.

A self-proclaimed big dreamer from as far back as he can remember, Connor’s biggest dream was to become a professional percussionist, and by the time he was 12-years old he had already begun to play at local parties and wedding receptions. In 1950, at the age of 15, Connor’s dream of playing professionally became a reality when a New Orleans blues singer by the name of Roy “Professor Longhair” Byrd hired him to play during a Mardi Gras celebration. That performance set Connor off on a professional path that two years later led to an impromptu meeting with a young, up-and-coming performer by the name of Richard Penniman. Better known as Little Richard, Penniman took an immediate liking to Connor, helped him out of a financial jam, and invited him to join his band – The Upsetters. “That was an incredible time,” Connor says as a big smile crossed his face. “I really had a lot of fun working with Little Richard – and Lloyd Price, and James Brown, who had the same agent as Little Richard."

By the time Connor was 20 he had toured throughout the United States with Little Richard, playing all the great venues he dreamed of playing as a kid including the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C., the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and at Brooklyn’s Paramount Theater as a part of legendary disc jockey Alan Freed’s rock ‘n’ roll shows. After conquering American theatres, Connor joined little Richard on an international tour, and in 1955, during a tour of Japan and the Philippines, Connor had an experience that would forever change his life – although he had no clue of its impact at the time. “While we were in the Philippines on that tour, a young girl approached me for an autograph,” Connors recalls. “So, I gave her my autograph, and for some reason I wrote something I had never written before. I wrote: ‘I hope you come to America someday. Keep rock ‘n’ roll in your life.’ That was it. I never gave it another thought."

Returning home to America, 1956 saw Little Richard come into his own as a full-fledged star and Connor joined him in the recording studio, in concert and television appearances, and in the films “The Girl Can’t Help It” with actress Jayne Mansfield, “Don’t Knock the Rock” and “Mr. Rock ‘N’ Roll.” The following year, Little Richard made the decision to retire from performing and go into the ministry. Sam Cooke took his place as the lead singer of The Upsetters, and Connor again took off for a life on the road. During this time he also toured and recorded with other artists including Jackie Wilson and The Coasters.

In 1959, Connor married and fathered two sons and two daughters. Throughout the 1960s, he was constantly touring, and his constant absence took its toll on his marriage that ultimately ended in divorce. He then married Little Richard’s sister, Peggy – another union that would fall victim to life on the road.

In 1970, Connor decided to settle down in Los Angeles where he formed a band called The West Coast Upsetters. Life in Southern California suited Connor well – it also resulted in the most remarkable case of life-changing serendipity. “One day, while I was shopping at a market, I met this beautiful young lady named Zenaida,” Connors explains. “We started talking, and when I mentioned I had been Little Richard’s drummer she couldn’t believe it. She said: ‘When I was a little girl you were the man with the rock ‘n’ roll band who gave me your autograph in the Philippines.’ Well, my heart skipped a beat, and to make a long story short, we fell in love and got married. Determined to make this marriage last, Connor gave up touring, opted for local gigs, and is today, at the age of 75, very much in love with both Zenaida and the couple’s beautiful daughter, Queenie, who works at a Century City law firm.

While the hectic life of rock ‘n’ roll is behind him, Connors still maintains an extremely busy schedule as a drum teacher, studio musician, songwriter, entrepreneur, voice-over artist and motivational speaker. He has also teamed up with his old boss from time-to-time when Little Richard has performed at the House of Blues, the Greek Theater and the Universal Amphitheater. Extremely concerned about today’s youth, Connor believes it is imperative for adults to mentor youth – providing them with the opportunity to have dreams for a hopeful future. He is equally dedicated to helping people of his own age – some of whom he has sadly seen abandon their dreams. “Anyone, regardless of their age, can still use their imagination and their creativity to keep their dreams alive,” says Connor. “I’m a dreamer – always have been. But in order to achieve my dreams I had to actually do something. Dreams are important, but action is required to achieve your dreams."

Dedicated to promoting his goal of helping people keep their dreams alive, Connor wrote the book, “Don’t Give Up Your Dreams – You Can Be a Winner Too!” (AuthorHouse, 2008), that along with his inspiring life story is rife with advice on creating positive relationships, living a balanced life, setting goals, aiming high, keeping a positive attitude, and empowering people to dream, and to fulfill their dreams.

“Everyone should dream,” Connor says. “When I was a kid I dreamed of playing the Apollo Theatre, and then went on to do it. When you dream, something magical happens. You bring about a positive attitude, and you keep moving ahead. You can never give up on dreaming. For me, when I got into my late-50s and 60s, I looked back at what I did with my life. I thought about what I had learned and decided I could use my experiences to help other people keep their dreams alive.”

Constantly stressing that by keeping dreams alive we can maintain the right attitude, Connor says that everything in life revolves around attitude. “Our attitude impacts our character, sense of self-worth, behaviors, habits, and chances for a happy and productive life,” says Connor. “It’s attitude, not aptitude, that determines our altitude,” he adds with a wink and a smile.