Aretha Franklin
Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.
Gayelynn McKinney of Aretha Franklin in On The Beat
Talks New CD and Gear Hey, hey MD readers! Let me introduce myself. My name is Gayelynn McKinney, and I come from a very musical family. I have been performing as a professional drummer for many years. I recorded with…
Roger Hawkins: The Pulse of Muscle Shoals
Photo by Deborah Feingold by Jeff Potter Roger Hawkins stands as one of the great studio drummers of all time. As a member of the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Hawkins was the driving engine behind scores of soul/R&B classics.…
In the Pocket: “Rock Steady??? Demystified (VIDEO)
This article is an excerpt from the April 2015 issue, which can be purchased here. In the Pocket “Rock Steady” Demystified Four Steps to Mastering Advanced Funk Grooves by Jim Payne Have you ever checked out Bernard Purdie’s beat on…
Initial Lineup Announced for 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival
With over 150 performances at more than fifteen venues throughout New York City, the 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival will be held Sunday, June 1 through Monday, June 30. Ticket information and a current schedule of events and locations are…
Bernard Purdie: Funky Hit Maker For The Ages
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie was born on June 11, 1939 in Elkton, Maryland, the eleventh of fifteen children. Bernard took an interest in rhythm at a very young age, and by the time he was fourteen he’d purchased his first real…
Vicki Randle: Living For The Music
(September 2007 Issue) Vicki Randle, percussionist and singer for the Tonight Show band for the past fourteen years, loves her job–partially because of the eclectic music she gets to play, but also because it’s performed live. “You have one chance…
Graham Hawthorne: Blending The Third World With The New
In the past fifteen years or so, a New York City music fan out for a night of high-quality rock, pop, jazz, world music, singer/songwriter folk, or alt-country might well have been moved by the superbly musical and confident drumming…
