Drums
William Kraft has dedicated his life as a composer to the world of percussion. With noted works and workshops, William has become an important part of the educational element of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). In fact, several of his notable pieces were introduced...
Emil Richards played a significant role in the expanded use and knowledge of world percussion instruments. Through his recordings and work for TV and the movies, Emil was known for adding splashes of new sounds and flavors to many of the nearly 2,000 films including authentic Russian instruments...
Don Lombardi is the founder of Drum Workshop, who formed the company at the age of 26 with the goal of providing teaching facilities for young drummers in Santa Monica. Don had the opportunity to purchase the equipment to bring the famous Camco drum pedal back to the market place under the DW name...
Toshitsugu “Tom” Tanaka, the president of Hoshino Gakki. Ltd, recalled with a smile his early training in the industry under Harry Rosenbloom of Medley Music. That experience not only educated him on the American instrument market, it was also the foundation of his partnership with Mr. Rosenbloom....
Bobby Crafford still has his first snare drum, the one he played when he recorded early Rockabilly songs for Sun Records in Memphis, TN. In 1957 he joined the Pacers, the band behind Sonny Burgess. Being part of the roots of rock and roll has always been a source of pride for him. Sonny split up...
Gareth Hunt is the Managing Director of Soundcontrol, a musical instrument retailer located in England. As a young boy, he played in a traveling band on guitar. In fact, his father was his roadie and driver (after all, it was before Gareth could drive himself). As a player, Gareth could call on his...
Frank Waddy has been playing drums since he was a small child. During his long and creative musical career, he has played with artists such as James Brown and George Clinton. Frank has established himself as a solid and consistent player with an eye on innovative beats and styles. As a songwriter...
Jake Hanna was the epitome of what a big band drummer is all about. Jake started playing drums at five in a drum corps in the Boston area. He continued to play drums in the bands of Harry James, Maynard Ferguson, and Woody Herman, among others. He was widely known and respected in the recording...
Dinah Gretsch is Vice President to her husband Fred’s presidency of the Gretsch Company. Her role in the company has been very significant due to her knowledge of licensing and other contract agreements, which has been a large part of the company’s growth over the past decade. Dinah and Fred have...
Fred Gretsch embraces the great history of our industry like no other. Perhaps for good reason, his family has played a vital role in the development of the industry for over 120 years. With remarkable stories of family members, innovative products and great marketing ideas, Fred outlined a few...