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Tommy Perkins
(October 2005 Issue)
Charting His Past, Present, And Future For more than fifty years,
Tommy Perkins has devoted himself to
performing as a full-time working
drummer. At age fifteen he made his first recording as a Texas Playboy.
That was the 1950
hit single "Faded Love" by Bob Wills. Perkins has
since gone on to become recognized as an expert of western
swing
drumming. According to Perkins, "Western swing combines a unique blend
of country, jazz, rock 'n' roll, and
ethnic flavors. You need to know
how to play all of these styles to be able to play western swing well."
Today
Tommy plays nationwide with The Playboys II. They also
have their own radio show. "We play for a weekly broadcast called
The
Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium," Tommy explains. "It's carried on over
sixty stations." Perkins also works
locally in Oklahoma City with his
home group, Talk Of The Town, which plays 1940s music.
Tommy's name
shows up on several western swing CDs, with
artists such as Lefty Frizzell, The Playboys II, Dayna Wills, Tom
Morrell, Herb
Ellis, Billy Contreras, Leon Rausch, Billy Jack Wills,
and Bob Wills.
Perkins says he works at improving his playing
by practicing
every day, attending drum workshops, watching drummer videos, and
reading the educational sections of
Modern Drummer magazine. "Steve
Gadd and Vinnie Colaiuta are two of the current drummers I like to
listen to," he says.
"Past influences have been Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa,
Mel Lewis, and western swing great Smokey Deacus."
In
1987, Perkins took his place as a living legend of western
swing when he was inducted into the Western Swing Society's
hall of
fame. Tommy's past, present, and future assure plenty of opportunities
to continue as a seasoned
drummer.
Billie
Hanes
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