A distinguished session drummer who has contributed to the work of many well-known artists. He is often double-billed with bassist Tim Drummond.

Keltner is best known for his session work on solo recordings by George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. He and Starr were the drummers on the Concert for Bangladesh, rock's first charity benefit, in August 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York. In the late 1980s, Keltner toured with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. He also played drums on both albums released by Harrison's 1980s supergroup, the Travelling Wilburys, playing under the pseudonym Buster Sidebury.

He has worked with Jerry Garcia, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Van Dyke Parks, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Brian Wilson, Bill Frisell, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Elvis Costello, the Bee Gees, Ry Cooder, Los Lobos, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Rufus Wainwright, Tom Petty, Gillian Welch and the Steve Miller Band among many others. In particular, he has performed as a session artist on many of the classic recordings by J.J. Cale.

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1942, Keltner started out as a jazz percussionist, but later began to specialise in R&B. His drumming style typically melds deceptively simple drum patterns and a casual, loose feel with extraordinary precision.

In 1987, Keltner, guitarist Ry Cooder and bassist Nick Lowe came together to play on John Hiatt's critically acclaimed Bring The Family. Five years later the four musicians reunited as the band Little Village, recording an album of the same name.

In 2002, he played in Concert For George, a tribute to Harrison a year following his death. He reprised his role as the Wilburys' drummer, joining Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne.

In 2006, he toured with T-Bone Burnett and featured on Jerry Lee Lewis' album Last Man Standing.