Welcome to the Drum History page. Get ready for a fun and interactive experience that will tie you in with one of America's great traditions. And don't be afraid of the word "history"! Just because this stuff might look and sound different than what you're familiar with, it's still just drums! You have much more in common with than past than you might think.

Legends of Drumming:

Over the last several years, I've been blessed with the opportunity to befriend some of the true legends of our art form! These guys been an invaluable resource in my historical research, and they've been highly inspirational to me as a player.


Click here to see and read more about these pioneers of jazz, swing, r&b, rockabilly and rock'n'roll.

Interviews:

Since 1999, I've done more than 50 interviews with players and experts in the genres of Classic Swing, Early Rhythm and Blues, Rockabilly and Early Rock'n'Roll.

Click here for a list.

The Drum History Minute:

Each of these audio segments will help you make a cool connection to the past.

I usually post at least one new DHM every month!

  Click Here to listen now.
Books:

I have published three books all devoted to various aspects of drum history.

Please click for complete descriptions.

Radio Shows and Podcasts:

Want to hear some cool music and learn more about classic drumming styles? Check out the following broadcasts/podcasts - they are all recent interviews I've done to support the release of The Commandments of Early Rhythm and Blues Drumming. Each interview has its own special focus, and they all feature material that is detailed in the book. Enjoy!

 
Daniel's Drum History Clinic:

Learn more about my clinic presentation, which brings to life the roots of popular American music. Please contact me if you are interested in hosting this clinic to your school, retail music outlet or music festival. More Info

 

 

Check out these links to other drumming and history related websites:

 

Drummer World - An all around terrific website featuring audio and video clips from drummers old and new.

Rebeats Publications - Great resource for books on drum history and bios of great classic drummers (Baby Dodds, Buddy Rich, Shelly Manne, etc). You can also find genuine calfskin heads at this site.

Gene Krupa - A very detailed site dedicated to America's "Ace Drummer Man" Gene Krupa.

Not So Modern Drummer - A terrific magazine put out by vintage drum expert John Aldridge. Articles focus on classic players and vintage gear.

Classic Drummer Magazine - A new, rapidly growing mag that focuses on drummer profiles. Lots of stuff on classic rock era players from the sixties and seventies, as well as drummers of less frequently covered styles like country and rockabilly.

Junior's Juke Joint - Not specifically a drum site, but one that will give you a feel for the land that produced the blues. The site is run by a guy named Junior Doughty who travels around the Mississippi Delta visiting some of the last existing Juke Joints. He refers to himself as a "cultural anthropologist," but he's hardly a scientist in the traditional sense. Here's the opening blurb from his website: "I'm a cultural anthropologist who lives in the Mississippi Delta, Louisiana side, and I spend lots of time in Delta juke joints. You're about to take a trip inside the places where the blues began. I'm not talking about white people blues bars filled with college students. I'm talking about edge-of-a-cotton-field juke joints filled with real Delta folks."

 

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