Lionel Hampton
April 11th, 1909 - August 31st, 2002
94 years old

Lionel Hampton is one of the most extraordinary musicians of the 20th century and his artistic achievements symbolize the impact that jazz music has had on our culture in the 21st century. He was born April 20, 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky. His father, Charles Hampton, a promising pianist and singer, was reported missing and later declared killed in World War I. Lionel and his mother, Gertrude, first moved to Birmingham, Alabama, to be with her family, then settled in Chicago. He attended the H ... more»

911 Drummers: Pipes and Drums Band
September 11th, 2001

    The band was formed in 1979 when a group of police officers met to explore the possibility of taking music lessons in the bagpipes and drums. After months of formal training and hard work the band made its first public appearance in 1980 and welcomed home the Americans that had been held hostage during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Since that time, the band has performed in many parades and celebrations in the New York metropolitan area a ... more»

Tony Williams
December 12th, 1945 - February 23rd, 1997
51 years old

Tony Williams' death in 1997 of a heart attack after routine gall bladder surgery was a major shock to the jazz world. Just 51, Williams (who could be a very loud drummer) seemed so youthful, healthy, and ageless even though he had been a major drummer for nearly 35 years. The open style that he created while with the Miles Davis Quintet in the mid- to late '60s remains quite influential, and he had a long list of accomplishments during the decades that followed. Williams' father, ... more»

John Anthony Panozzo
September 20th, 1948 - July 16th, 1996
48 years old

John Anthony Panozzo (September 20, 1948 – July 16, 1996) was the drummer for the American rock band Styx. Panozzo grew up in the Roseland neighborhood, the south side of Chicago, Illinois with his fraternal twin brother, Chuck (born 90 minutes apart). At age 7, the twins took musical lessons from their uncle in which John took an interest in drums and percussion. They attended Catholic school and eventually they were part of a 3-piece accordion band in which John played drums and Chuck playe ... more»

Larrie Londin
October 15th, 1943 - August 24th, 1992
49 years old

by James Byron Fox In October of 1991 I got a phone call from my pal Larrie Londin, The Greatest Drummer In The World. I know that is a rather provocative assessment of a drummer whose name goes unrecognized more often than not, but I'm not the only one who holds that belief. "Larrie Londin is the greatest drummer in he world, at least, that's my opinion, and it should be yours too," said Chet Atkins as he introduced Larrie during the GUITAR MASTERS tour in 1991. I first met ... more»

Jeff Porcaro
April 1st, 1954 - August 5th, 1992
38 years old

Jeff Porcaro ( April, 1 1954 - August 5, 1992) was best know for his work with the band Toto, who have sold over 30 million records to date.   Jeff Porcaro was born on April 1, 1954, in Hartford, Connecticut and first got interested in drumming due to the influence of his father. He began playing seriously at age seven though he is sure "I was playing even earlier than that. Only my father would actually know when I got started." Formal lessons i ... more»