The drum shop is a special place. When I started on my way to becoming a professional drummer, I studied at Jack and Johnie’s Drumshop in Kansas City. Jack Miller and John Terry were two of the best drummers in Kansas City during the 1950s. John Terry still teaches and plays in L.A. Not only did I take lessons at Jack and Johnie’s, but I would also hang around for the entire day, talking—and sometimes practicing—with other students. We would exchange information, discuss equipment, and occasionally ask Jack or John to settle a difference of opinion. The traditional drum shop is a friendly place. At Henry Adler’s shop in New York City (no longer there), I met and talked with many famous drummers. I once watched Buddy Rich pick out a pair of hi-hats in the back room of Henry’s store. After he found a pair he liked, he played […]

September 1986 Issue