JD: Can we start off with some general information about your background? NV: I grew up in Los Angeles, and I studied drums with a great teacher named Fred Gruber. He makes it easy to do anything that comes to mind on the drumset. He really has a great teaching style. After high school, I attended North Texas State University, where I got into playing in ensembles, reading, composing, and basic musicianship. I came back to L.A. in ’78, and since then, I’ve played with Frank Sinatra, Leslie Uggams, Gloria Loring, and Nelson Riddle. I joined up with Bonnie and Marie in 1983. JD: What studio work have you done, and how would you compare it to live playing? NV: I’ve done a great deal of TV film work: Jim Henson’s Muppets, Happy Days, The Facts Of Life, The Bob Newhart Show, NBC Sports World, Merv Griffin, and The Mike […]

December 1986 Issue