Burleigh Drummond
Burleigh Drummond | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | September 25, 1951 Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S. |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | www |
Burleigh Drummond (born September 25, 1951) is an American drummer, percussionist, producer, songwriter, and singer. He is a founding member and the only drummer/percussionist for the five-time Grammy Award nominated band Ambrosia.
Childhood
A self-described "Army brat," Drummond's parents were in the U.S. Army, with his father a full colonel and his mother an army nurse. The family moved often and ended up being stationed in Ankara, Turkey where as a child Drummond had an experience he found transformative: he watched and listened as artisans hammered out a large copper plate, not unlike a cymbal, "spinning and hammering in sublime synchronicity." From an early age Drummond realized he would be involved in the percussive arts.[1]
Career
After playing in various bands, Drummond signed up with a musicians contact service "for $5" and within a week all three members of what would become the band Ambrosia came by his residence and formed the group "before we ever played a note."[1] Drummond has described Ambrosia compositionally as "Joe Puerta and David Pack were like our Lennon and McCartney and I was kind of the George Harrison!"[2]
Drummond recorded on every Ambrosia record from 1970 to the present, and toured internationally with the band throughout its history to date.[3]
Drummond and his wife, Mary Harris, formed the band Tin Drum in the 1990s, and have released several albums.[3]