Rock and Roll

Tris Imboden was just five years old when he saw a drumline at a local parade and knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Even though Tris is self-taught he would go to a local music store where he learned the ins and outs of music theory. An early break for him was when his band (Honk...
Crystal Taliefero is primarily a percussionist, yet she plays many other instruments including the bass and several wind instruments. In 1986, she began her long association with LP, her first endorsement, and since that time has also promoted Sabian Cymbals and ProMark Drum Sticks. While touring...
Cesar Rosas was born in Hermosillo, Mexico, in the state of Sonora, and was greatly influenced by the music he heard as a child growing up. He was exposed to traditional Mexican music and instruments, and continued to play the music of his heritage even after moving to East Los Angeles as a...
Ricky Peterson is a lifelong Minnesotan musician whose family is deeply rooted in a characteristically “Minneapolis” sound. Ricky is best known for his 20 year association with saxophone legend David Sanborn, and for having produced, written and played keyboards for Prince. Peterson has also...
Mark Guerrero has had a passion for music ever since he was a young boy growing up in East Los Angeles. His father was singer/songwriter Lalo Guerrero, who inspired a generation of Chicano musicians. Growing up, Mark was surrounded by a wide variety of music both in his home and in the community,...
Slim Jim Phantom and his two school friends, Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker, formed the iconic band Stray Cats in New York back in 1979. They revived the rockabilly style of the 1950s with a string of sold out concerts and a series of hit recordings in the 1980s such as “Stray Cat Strut,” “Sexy + 17”...
John Avila was greatly influenced by the Ampex recorder his father owned and let John use. He recorded his friends and later his own bands on the two reels he had access to. The experience was the beginning of his fascination with recording, which has been a key component of his career all...
Johnny “Vatos” Hernandez is the long-time drummer for the rock band Oingo Boingo, playing on all of the band’s big hit songs including “Deadman’s Party” and “Just Another Day.” He played jazz drums for several years before the band was formed. Johnny has been involved with the NAMM community for...
Lou Rosenthal started playing drums at an early age, eventually playing in bands in Southport Merseyside. Later, after purchasing a Ludwig drum kit, he moved into a more serious group and landed the job as the drummer with the rock band Export after winning the ‘Battle of the Bands’. While with the...
Alan Peters is a trumpeter and guitarist who was brought up on blues and R&B and formed the group Almost Blues in the 1960s. Alan backed many artists in the famous club, the Cavern, including Junior Walker, Lee Dorsey and Stevie Wonder. While playing on a session with Frank Zappa and the...

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