Eden, whom we profiled nearly a decade ago, reportedly picked up the drums as soon as he could walk. He grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he started playing professionally with local blues acts in the sixth grade and later went on to play with luminaries of the R&B world.
A longtime entertainer with the U.S.O., Eden was also a member of Funktion, an R&B group with a Southern flavor, as he once described it, and had the chance to open for acts like Earth Wind & Fire, the O'Jays and the Isley Brothers. As the president of Denver-based Alpha Entertainment, an organization that he ran with his wife, Stephanie, Eden helped musicians and produced benefits for community-service organizations.
Our sincere condolences go out to Eden's family and friends.
See also: Drummer Donnie Eden wants to make a difference in the lives of young people, one note at a time