Percussion-Drums

Billy Ashbaugh remembers with a smile his first drum kit as a kid and the desire to play professionally almost from the very beginning. He learned the ropes as a sub drummer and studio player before landing the gig as drummer for the boy super-group N’Sync. The explosive popularity of the group’s tours and recordings provided Billy with the opportunity to present clinics and classes to inspiring drummers around the world.
 

Ray Ayotte was born in Millardville Canada where as a youngster he began playing drums for rock bands he formed with schoolmates. Throughout his early playing days Ray made little adjustments to his kit and learned that other players enjoyed the changes and sounds he could make. He dreamed of one day making his own drum set. After working in the music retail business Ray finally had his chance when he created the Ayotte Drum Company. After selling the company he began creating new models for Taye Drums to great success.

Michael Balter discovered, as a percussionist for many stage and symphonic orchestras, that he could create his own sounds by adjusting or wrapping his mallets. He slowly began designing his own mallets for himself and friends, until it was clear that he had his own business. Over the years the Michael Balter Mallet Company produced a steady number of innovative products while gaining a tremendous reputation as a supporter of school music programs and industry organizations.

Robert Beals was just a young man when he first met Chick Evans. The two worked to perfect and promote Mr. Evan’s idea of a synthetic drumhead in the 1950s. Up until that time, drumheads were made from cow skin, which presented several problems. With the skin drumheads, any change in temperature could greatly affect the sound and they would often fade out of tune. Soon after the Evan’s Company was formed, a young Remo Belli, who at the time was a jazz drummer in Los Angeles, purchased several of the early products.

John H. Beck has an amazing talent for explaining the art of music making, not just teaching music, but providing meaning to the student in ways that fuel their passion.  As the principal timpanist for the Rochester Philharmonic and a well-respected professor at the Eastman School of Music, John H. Beck has made a lasting contribution to the music industry during his long career.  As a promoter of school programs, he oversaw important changes as president of the Percussive Arts Society that lead to more hands-on programs and demonstrations for students.

Remo Belli revolutionized the music products industry by introducing the Weather King, the single most popular drumhead in the world! As a jazz drummer, Remo was looking for ways to improve the percussive products he was using. Once his team of chemists found the perfect formula, Remo took it around to his many drummer friends to test the product out. Remo has also pioneered the use of music and wellness with his dear friend Karl Bruhn and a wave of instruments aimed at getting all ages involved with music and music making.

Rob Birenbaum has always had a love for percussion. As a drummer he enjoyed playing the instrument and found equal satisfaction in selling percussion instruments and related accessories when he formed Drum Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. The store became a hub for percussionists and created a strong customer base from around the world long before email and the Internet. Rob played a vital role within the industry and for decades has been a strong supporter and contributor to the Percussive Arts Society’s annual conference known as PASIC.  

Brady Blade was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, to the pastor of the Zion Baptist Church, Rev. Brady Blade Sr. and his wife Dorothy. At an early age Brady Jr. began playing music in the church and at community events, developing a passion for a wide range of musical styles. He worked for several recording labels before touring with Emmylou Harris in 1995 with the Spyboy Band. The group released a self-titled album three years later and toured around the world.

Hal Blaine is perhaps the most recorded drummer from the California recording studios of the 1950s-'70s.  His influential style can be heard on more than 170 number one hit songs and 450 tunes that made the top 40 on the charts during those decades.  His beat can be heard on hundreds of albums by artists ranging from the Beach Boys and Elvis Presley to the Carpenters and Barbra Streisand.  As a creative performer, Hal became one of the early studio players to gain such notoriety that he was asked to endorse drum kits, heads and sticks.  Shorty after the opening of the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, CA, Hal attended a drum exhibit and spoke to the guests about his long career in music.

Fred Bramante formed the music retailers Daddy’s Junky Music on the East Coast and went on to play a vital role on the NAMM Board during a most critical period in the association’s history. While playing in a rock band in college in the late 1960s, Fred got the idea of buying used music gear and selling it to performers he knew who were looking for different equipment. The idea led to the forming of Daddy’s Junky Music and Fred’s career long involvement with the music industry.