My playing has a close connection with church music. That is where I got started 37 years ago. Ive never had formal lessons. The person who got me going was a so-so drummer at best, and from the beginning I was playing with live music. There was a whole lot of "like this, not like that" moments. For that first two years I had unrestricted use of a 1967 Rogers four piece, and looking at the one picture I have of that, I believe it was an 18, 12, 14. I wish I had those today. In 1979, I bought my first kit, Rogers. I owned one set, and one snare for the next twenty years.
Ive played in church, traditional and contemporary styles, in a few gospel groups that fit the four fat white guys southern gospel quartet style of music, a lot of old school country, lite rock, blues, inspriational, etc. Currently I play with a group that does a lot of gospel, traditional and contemporary, country... basically the same kind of stuff Ive played forever. We gig regularly for retirement folks in managed living. Retirement homes dont pay much, if anything, but it is a very enjoyable experience.
Right now...
I own six Rogers sets, 64 Cleveland, 66 Gray Dayton, 77 Big R (my first kit), 78 Big R, and an 83 Big R XP8 in jazz sizes. Thirty four snare drums, most of which are Rogers Dynasonic, Rogers Superten, Rogers Powertones. I have Supras, Acrolites, a Supersensitive and a Supersensitive black beauty. A couple drums from Ayotte and even an old Student Deluxe Slingerland. Nearly everything is in excellent plus condition.
And I play everything out.
