Curley Hamner, born William J. Hamner on March 16, 1919, in Birmingham, Alabama, was a prominent American jazz and rhythm-and-blues musician known for his skills as a drummer, vocalist, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away in January 1982 in New York, NY. Hamner's career began in his youth as a dancer, but by 1945, he had become a drummer for the legendary Lionel Hampton, with whom he performed until 1958. During his tenure with Hampton, Hamner was recognized as a talented showman, often performing as a dancer with the orchestra.

In 1947, Hamner recorded under his own name for the Sunrise label in California, collaborating with notable musicians such as Earl Hines and Charles Mingus on the track "No Good Woman Blues." He also co-wrote the popular jive number "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" with Hampton, a song that was widely covered and used in film soundtracks, including the 1998 movie "City of Angels." Additionally, he co-wrote "Today I Sing the Blues" with Curtis Lewis, famously recorded by Aretha Franklin, and "Gone Again," covered by Sil Austin in 1959.

Hamner toured Europe with Lionel Hampton in the early 1950s and with saxophonist Eric Dixon in 1959. Around 1960, he performed as a dancer in Josephine Baker's Paris show "Paris mes amours." In 1959, Hamner recorded several tracks in New York City, including "Air Raid" and "Tennessee Waltz," featuring musicians like King Curtis and Al Casey. His work spanned various styles, from R&B and rock 'n' roll to pop and easy listening.

In 1962, Hamner released his only album, "Dance Session Number One," which included the dance track "Dry Marterie (With a Twist)." Throughout his career, he was involved in 34 recording sessions between 1946 and 1960, as documented by jazz historian Tom Lord. Curley Hamner's contributions to jazz and R&B, both as a performer and songwriter, left a lasting impact on the music industry.