counting the years sat in front of the old console stereo with the 8 track and 6 stack lp changer, beatin the **** out of my mom's tupperware and pot lids, about 40 years.

Been drumming for nearly 12 years (started around 23-24) and still in my first band. Been a few line up changes, but I think we got it right now.

Can't remember exactly, think I started in -76. Bought a STAR set that included a set of New Beat Hi-hats that is still my main thang!

Have played in bands the whole time.

Currently Own 3 sets; Rogers Fullerton, 79 Slingerlands and 67 Ludwigs.

I started in 1972, age 12. Graduated to a full kit in '73. I played full-time from the late 70s to 2000, by which time I was so burned out from travel and crummy pay that I literally quit for 10 years and got a BS in education. 4 years ago, I got the itch again, and I'm now playing out most weekends. It's fun again.

when we still had dial phones!

I'm a little behind some of the elder statesmen here, but not by much. I started out playing guitar but had switched to drums by 1970.

Even met my (future) wife playing drums. She was the pianist and I was the drummer in a Christian rock musical in college. There is a picture around here of that entourage, but I won't inflict that on you.

Playing... 49 years. I started lessons in Sept, 1965.

Playing professionally on some level... 42 years.

Bermuda

started in 1966

My brother gave me a pair of sticks in 1971 (He needed a drummer). My poor mother bought me a drum kit to save her lounge. I hit the road with my drums at age 16 and it was my living for 28 years. Took a break for kids and family, but I doubt you can stop being a musician. It's nice to be able to hear your stories about playing.

Ahhh.... a trip down memory lane!

Mid 60s, I started in 5th Grade Band with a pair of sticks and a Folgers coffee can with the rew-fangled plastic lid. I soon graduated to white-ripple Beverly student model snare drum that came with a 10" cymbal that I bought with money I made on my own. It came in a cardboard box that actually had a handle and served as a case.

In HS in the early 70s I bought my first set, a 50s WMP Gretsch set (14x20, 9x13, and 6.5x14 matching SD) with turkish made K Zildjian cymbals. Played that set in pep and jazz bands at school, and started into my "garage band" days. The first of those was as a "substitute" drummer (their regular drummer was "grounded" for a time) for "Ashbury Park" in the Topeka, Ks area. As a senior in HS I landed a gig with a 9-pc "Chicago" style band (Colour My World) and that's when I got my pink champagne Ludwig Rock Duo (twin 14x22s) set. Also played in a 3 pc group, "Beggars Opera Company."

When I moved to Hays, Ks in the mid-70s to go to school as a music education major (and was drum major in the Fort Hays State marching band), I caught on with a small night-club band called simply "The Eric Vaughan Show" which later morphed into "Eric Vaughan and the Frontiersman."

Moved back to the Topeka area and briefly played in a CW band called "GT and the Nashville Three," then went out on the full-time road circuit with "AJ Mooney and Company."

Late 70s I was back in the Hays area and formed my own band called the "Fall River Boys." Probably felt the most satifaction with this band in this period as we played as much as we wanted. Picked up my 78 Pearl W/FG kit, which I still own.

It was during this period my life took on some major changes. I met the girl who was perfect for me (we've been married 37+ years now), we started a family (4 grown kids now), I got saved (don't care how PC correct this is or isn't for this forum), quit the band, enrolled in Bible School... and I played my drums in the Worship Bands in the 2 churches I pastored from 1982 to 2003.

Since that time I've only served as a fill-in worship band drummer in a couple of different churches, and travel part time as a musical evangelist (I've always done a lot of lead- and backup-vocal work as well). Would love to form a Christian music band, but that seems to take a LOT of resources nowadays...