10 Crazy Comics Who Made Their Mark As Musicians
Music and comedy may seem like completely different art forms, but they have some important things in common, such as their reliance on timing and rhythm. It’s also surprising how many famous comedians, such as the banjo-playing Steve Martin, have also found success in music. These 10 crazy comics have also made their mark as musicians.
Related: 10 extremely controversial bands and musicians
10 Craig Ferguson
When quirky comedian Craig Ferguson closed out the decade-long run of his unconventional late-night show with a rendition of Dead Man Fall’s “Bang Your Drum” in 2014, the star-studded musical number was not only an inspiring finale, but the reminded fans of Ferguson’s former career. During his wild youth, he was a drummer for several bands in his native Scotland, such as a band called Bastards from Hell, renamed Dreamboys, which featured the future. Doctor who stars Peter Capaldi as lead singer.
It was actually during his stint with Dreamboys that hints of his destiny as a popular comic began to appear when he realized he enjoyed bantering on stage more than playing music. Although Ferguson’s comedy/acting career has been much more successful than his time as a musician, he has still played drums over the years, including multiple appearances on The late-late show.[1]
9 Harpo Marx
The hilarious Marx Brothers were a surprisingly musical bunch. While Chico played piano and Groucho played guitar and mandolin, Harpo was adept at the harp – the source of his stage name -. He also played clarinet and piano. Harpo was known as the verbally silent Marx brother, who did a lot of physical comedy. However, he still managed to make a lot of noise, and not just with his signature horn.
The Marx Brothers actually started out as a musical act in vaudeville. Their mother sent him a harp when they were on tour, after hearing that they could make more money with this instrument. Primarily self-taught, he later received training from prominent harpist Mildred Dilling, who said he took music very seriously.
In addition to playing the harp many times on stage and screen over the course of his long career, he also developed his own highly complex arrangements for the harp. Perhaps the most unexpected thing about Harpo, the musician, is the amount of inspiration he provided. Concert harpist Carrol McLaughlin, Ph.D., professor of harp at the University of Arizona who has recreated his music for live shows, said, “I have met people all over the world who say they play the harp because of Harpo Marx. ”[2]
8 Katherine Ryan
Comedienne Katherine Ryan, born in Canada and based in London, rose to fame early on with humor inspired by her job at Hooters and has largely built a career poking fun at celebrities during her many TV appearances in Canada, the UK and the USA Often a sharp comedian, Ryan is also a singer who started out in musical theater. She performed in a number of small stage productions while in Canada, including Jesus Christ superstar, AnnieAnd The king and I.
In 2023, Ryan took part in the popular British show The Masked Singer three times while donning a pigeon costume. After losing the competition with her rendition of “Fight for This Love,” Ryan blamed things like the weight of her costume and the difficulty of performing a choreographed dance routine while eight months pregnant.[3]
7 Ricky Gervais
Hilariously irreverent comedian Ricky Gervais is a multi-talented comedian, but in addition to his success in acting, stand-up comedy and television writing, he also has a musical side. It may come as a surprise to some of his fans to learn that he was once lead singer of a British new wave band called Seona Dancing, which he and keyboardist Bill Macrae formed in 1982 during their final year at University College London.
Although the synth-pop duo was largely unsuccessful, they did have one single that was extremely popular in the Philippines, an up-tempo song called “More to Lose.” Surprisingly, the song has held up well over the years and has become something Time describes as “a cultural landmark in the Philippines.”
Gervais reflects on this chapter with his characteristic sense of humor and tells the Philippine Daily Enquirer in an interview: “People always think that photo makes me look skinny and young. It’s terrible, isn’t it? I had a jaw and nice, thick hair.”
While Seona Dancing disbanded in 1984, Gervais did not leave the music industry immediately. He was a band manager and worked in radio before his comedy career took off.[4]
6 Adam Sandler
When people think of Adam Sandler the musician, a list of parodies and humorous songs probably come to mind, including offerings like “Lunchlady Land” and “Ode to My Car.” However, Sandler, who sings, plays guitar and writes songs, has also recorded some deeply moving pieces, such as his irreverent but heartfelt “Chris Farley Song,” which was praised by critics.
While Sandler got plenty of laughs as Robbie Hart in the 1998 comedy The wedding singerwith crazy songs like “Somebody Kill Me,” one of the most memorable moments is when he serenades Julia (Drew Barrymore) with the sweet ballad “Grow Old with You.”
Known as a talented guitarist, Sandler has played the instrument numerous times on TV, including one memorable performance Conan in 2020 and during his 2018 Netflix special 100% fresh. He has made the instrument a key part of his live shows and even played his impressive collection of guitars on tour.[5]
5 Maya Rudolf
Former Saturday evening live cast member Maya Rudolph is also the daughter of the late soul singer Minnie Riperton and composer/producer Richard Rudolph, who often collaborated with each other. With such a strong musical heritage, it makes sense that she has also shown herself to be a talented musician. She had a brief stint as keyboardist with The Rentals and amassed an impressive resume as a singer.
During an interview with NPR, she talked about her musically rich background, saying in part, “The music poured out of my mother, and I’m sure I heard it before I got here, when I was in her belly.”
Following roles in films such as Adults And BridesmaidsRudolph is still seen primarily as a comedian. She has recorded many songs, including some for major motion picture soundtracks Disillusioned, with a duet with Rudolph and Amy Adams. Sometimes, though, comedy intersects with the music world in a very entertaining way, like Rudolph’s unforgettable Beyoncé impersonation on SNL.[6]
4 Woody Allen
Fans of Woody Allen films may notice that jazz music often appears in the soundtracks. Not only is the iconic filmmaker-actor-comic a big fan of this genre, he has also played it publicly on the clarinet for decades. Allen, who based his stand-up career on his neurotic personality, may not project the kind of suave, confident image often associated with jazz musicians. However, he and his New Orleans-style jazz band have been playing for years at venues like the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan.
Allen began playing the instrument around the same time he developed a love of jazz as a teenager after World War II. Still, he preferred early 20th century styles such as ragtime. One of his first clarinet appearances on television was during a performance on The Dick Cavett Show in 1971. Many years later, Woody Allen & His New Orleans Jazz Band’s 1996 European tour was a major focus of the documentary Wildman blues. Their album of the same name was released in 1998.[7]
3 Steve Martin
It’s no secret that legendary comedian Steve Martin can play the banjo. The instrument has had a place in his act since the beginning of his career. But he is now known almost as much for his music as for his humor. Although he put a lot of work into his comedy routines, Martin actually added banjo playing to the shows to give himself more credibility as a professional entertainer, explaining, “My act was so crazy that I thought it was probably good to get the audience I can do something that looks difficult because it seems like I’m just making it up.”
Self-taught from the age of seventeen, he was influenced by a wide range of artists including Earl Scruggs, Pete Seeger and The Kingston Trio. He originally used the banjo in combination with his comedy to play satirical songs. However, as time has gone by, playing and composing his banjo has become an increasingly serious pursuit in itself.
The real turning point came after he joined musicians Earl Scruggs, Vince Gill, Marty Stewart, Leon Russell, Jerry Douglas and Scruggs’ sons Randy and Gary. The Late Show with David Letterman for their version of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” in 2001. The group subsequently recorded a Grammy-winning studio version. Since then, Martin has released several more albums and established an award for banjo players.[8]
2 Dudley Moore
Best remembered for his lovable, off-screen characters in comedy films such as Arthur (1981), Dudley Moore was also an accomplished pianist who performed with his own jazz trio and released more than a dozen records.
The British comedian, who counted artists such as Miles Davis among his influences, had an impressive musical background, earning a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music at the age of 11. He later earned a scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford. Although classically trained in piano, Moore mostly played jazz in public, but he worked in a variety of genres.
Moore began his career in both music and comedy on stage, finding early success with the satirical revue ‘Beyond the Fringe’. He would combine his comedic and musical skills in many television and film appearances over the years, sometimes in the form of song parodies.
One of his most popular characters was songwriter George Webber in the hit film 10but in real life Moore was also a prolific composer who wrote music for a number of big and small screen projects, including the score for the 1967 film. Stunned.[9]
1 Jamie Foxx
While many actors who don’t have a music background have played musicians, actor/comedian Jamie Foxx had the advantage of being a highly skilled pianist when he played Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic. Ray. Foxx, who had studied classical piano on a scholarship, said playing the instrument for the film was “a blessing and a curse.” He explained that because of the way Charles performed the songs, he had to spend many hours learning “all the fingerings of the piano so that it would look authentic.”
Foxx has built an impressive career as a singer and musician, specializing in R&B. He has released several albums over the years, including the double platinum Unpredictable in 2005 and platinum sales Intuition (2008), with high-profile guest artists such as Kanye West and Lil Wayne.[10]