Wahl met a woman in a nursing home. She had been found living on the street and didn’t even know her own name. The patient was anti-social and hostile toward everyone around her. She never participated in any activities at the facility. In her usual custom, Judi Wahl, Chris’s wife, placed a hand-painted drum attached to a walker in front of the woman and reassured her that she did not have to play if she didn’t want to. Weeks later, the woman finally picked up a drumstick and joined the drum circle.
Category: Drums
David Cassidy: Showbiz Life
For lifelong musician David Cassidy, you might say that music and show business are in his blood. And it all began long before he became a household name on The Partridge Family. “Both my parents were from musical families and in the theater,” Cassidy says. “My father [Jack Cassidy] was a brilliant singer, and my […]
Boatmen: Band Interview and Tips
AC/DC once sang, “It’s a long way to the top, if you want to rock and roll,” and singer/songwriter Alex Boatman knows this all too well. Since forming The Boatmen in 2009, in Syracuse, New York, he’s endured his share of obstacles, including odd gigs, departing band members, and simply juggling bandmates’ varied responsibilities. But […]
Musical Gift Ideas
From sax straps to guitar pick holders, here are some inexpensive stocking-stuffer ideas for any musician. These stocking stuffers are sure to warm the hearts of your musical friends and family. Whether they play guitar, drums, piano, trumpet or violin, we’ve got a stocking stuffer for just about every musician. Except those who’ve been naughty—for […]
A Visit to Memphis
Memphis has been the inspiration for many a music maker. In fact, there have been more songs written about Memphis than any other city in the US. This four-day tour touches on the “must-see” sights for music lovers. For a good choice of hotels with discount prices, visit Hotel in Memphis for more information.
Honkfest: Activism Music
Exiting the Boston’s “T” stop in Somerville, there was a different sound in the air on one crisp fall Saturday morning—spectators anticipated the start of something special, while performers milled around, practicing riffs on their drums and horns. Twenty-seven street bands had begun arriving on Friday, from as far away as Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Austin, Texas, to perform in events held throughout the weekend.
Drum Warm-Up Exercises
No athlete would think about starting a run, playing soccer, or climbing into a kayak without first warming up. Warming up muscles and joints, which means literally making them warm, increasing blood flow to them, and stretching them out, is crucial to avoid or heal an injury. Musicians must do the same. Drummers especially need […]
Hand Drums for Everyone
Young or old, pro or amateur, it doesn’t matter: in a drum circle, no one is better than anyone else. There is no first chair or ranking system, and the performance aspect is centralized within the circle. No wonder drum circles are one of the most popular community groups, a place where beginners and professionals […]
Make Your Own Percussion Instruments
A few years back, while giving a presentation on homemade musical instruments at the University of Washington, Dr. Craig Woodson created a masenqo—a single stringed violin from Ethiopia—out of dental floss, a Styrofoam box, a plastic tube, and some chopsticks. “There was an Ethiopian woman in the audience, and she got up and walked out of the room,” he remembers. “I thought, oh my gosh, I’ve insulted this woman! But then she came back in and her eyes were wet with tears, and she said to me, ‘I had no idea when you started to play that very simple instrument, that it would take me home.’”
Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
It’s not “the summer of ’69” anymore and playing ’til your fingers bleed isn’t the greatest idea, no matter how sentimental it sounds. Taking care of your hands and wrists is important to get the most out of your music. Any musician who practices regularly can attest that overuse of the hand muscles can cause […]