WHEN DID DRUMS become a required asset for c/w music?

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

In another post, reference is made to the olde country music wherein a steel, fiddle, lead, bass and drums were essential for any vocalist.

In YOUR OPINION........WHAT element in music does a rock drummer pounding away with heavy STICKS, contribute to great old country music and/or western swing?

In dance bands, a solid drummer playing primarily snare drum with brushes was a 'bonus'...... Rythmn guitars used to provide this dimension.

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

IMHO, a tasteful country drummer is worth his weight in gold! The dynamics a well played set of drums adds, drives both the band and the audience.

Barry Blackwood · Posted 26 Dec 2010 6:55 am

Jim Bob Sedgwick · From: Clinton, Missouri USA

Paul Crawford · From: Orlando, Fl

Depends on music and era you're playing. For western music, (remember when it was country and western?), then a doghouse bass, good rhythm guitar, and your choice of one or more lead instruments, (steel, fiddle, accordian) and you're good to go.

Move up an era into Classic Country, and you probably shoot the accordian player and go with a drummer and the smallest kit you can convince him to bring, (just a brushed snare would be great), and you can add a lead guitar.

Move on up towards the outlaw era, a lead guitar is more important and you get a bigger kit, the bass goes electric, and steel and fiddle get replaced with keys.

Move into the early modern era, and you can add back electric fiddle or steel, bigger drums, electric rhythm guitar starts turning into a second lead.

And then for the latest stuff, you start with a fully miked drum set, an electric bass with a double stack, 2 guitars with double stacks, keys with at least 4 boards or possibly a third electric guitar, a sound man with a 128 channel programable board and 4 theater speakers, steel and electric fiddle, roughly in that order.

You still get $200 a night for the band but pay the sound man first.

Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

The title asked WHEN did drums become essential. As to my rememberence, the big Western Swing bands had them way back, then Carl Smith was about the first Opry regular to add them. Then, the door opened pretty rapidly and within a year or so several Opry acts were carrying a drummer. Late 50's???
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Dave A. Burley · From: Franklin, In. USA

I believe Carl Smith used drums on the Opry a few times in the early fifties but was told not to use them anymore. Bob Wills was the first to use drums on the Opry and that was in the early forties. He wasn't a regular instead was just guesting and was way to big for the Opry to say no to. I recall Acuff finally using Harold Weakly on just the snare drum and that, I believe, was the late fifties or early sixties. Actually Harold was the staff drummer for many years, just playing the snare along with his emceeing duties. I don't believe a full set of drums was allowed on the Opry until they made the move to the new Opry House. I do recall Buddy Harman, Willie Ackerman and Eddie Fox using about a half set of drums on the Opry before the move.
Dave A. Burley

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

My fave is the "drum fill" at the end of a verse or chorus where the drummer goes off into some kind of spasmodic episode -
bippity-BAP-bam-tchtch-tch-BAM and the so-called "time" slows down to about nothing....

when he finally comes out of his trance and resumes playing, the "one" has migrated out of state. In the dream band in my head, there are NO cymbals. Laughing

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

I am of the old school way of thinking in that, never use a R&R drummer in a country & western band and never use a country band drummer in a R&R band. The drums "must" fit the band and the music being played.

I have played with jazz drummers, R&R drummers, R&B drummers and pop drummers and all require different technique.

Are drums necessary to a country & western band??? A good band always carries a drummer.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

A good band does'nt need a drummer.

James Marlowe · From: Florida, USA

IMO, a good drummer is one you don't notice, unless he stops playing. Same with a bass. I don't care for either one being played as a lead instrument.
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Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Tho they are few and far between the RIGHT drummer can do it ALL. A local drummer here in town I have worked with off and on over the last thirty plus years is one of those rare birds,He can do it ALL the right way. His name is Ricky Woodham. Always a number ten,a pleasure to work with. In my opinion the drummer and bass player are the two MOST important players in ANY band of ANY kind.It's impossible to play music without a good rhythm section.You can make noise without them but NOT music. Very Happy

YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

I beleive Bob Wills was one of first to use drums back in the 30's and40's.

Once you play with a Band where the Drums and Bass Player are realy in sync, it makes you and the whole band become more creative and play better.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

What Jim said. Jerry Byrd.

Bill Moran · From: Virginia, USA

Barry Blackwood · Posted 26 Dec 2010 3:53 pm

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

It depends what sound you want to produce. Drums haven't yet become obligatory, just available.

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

I agree with Mr. Billy a thousand percent. Very Happy

YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

Thanks Dave Burley, my recollection is similar. Buddy Harman did play Carl Smith's Opry spots at the Ryman, I just couldn't come up with the year. Buddy would hang around and play spots with other artists, which brings up an oft quoted Grandpa Jones story. Seems Buddy Harman asked Grandpa, "Mr. Jones, would you like me to play the drums on your spot?" To which Grandpa is alleged to have replied, "Very little, if any!"
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Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Mr. Bob mentioned a SOLID rhythm guitar player. The only problem they are as hard to find as Osama Bin Laden. That's becoming a lost art also. The masters like Ranger Doug,Henry Haynes or Freddie Green. Smile

YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Bruce Bouton · From: Nash. Tn USA

Wow you guys! Miles Davis said it best, there is only two kinds of music, good and bad,period. It ain't about drums. Hell Ricky Skaggs had drums Folks loved what he did for steel guitar but they hated Garth and Shania in spite of the fact that they took pedal steel all over the world , Robert Randolph has been crucified on this forum in spite of the fact that he has become a star on the instrument.
Some folks sit here on this forum and get off on dissing anything contemporary in spite off the fact that it's keeping your instrument of choice alive. Unbelievable! I've watched this for years on this forum.Consistantly someone raises the banner for "tradition" and everyone in their computer rooms jumps on the bandwagon.
Many people want to exist in the past . Guess what, it ain't coming back.
Happy Dang New Year!
Bruce Bouton ( grateful to play anything for anyone that likes my instrument)

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

we should thnak our blessings for drums , we would not have Electric Bases , Twin Reverbs, Nashville 1000's or Marshall stacks without em' !

It ain't the instruments, never is...

I saw Spike Jones when I was about 6 or 7 I think...he had drums, I'm not even certain, he may have been the drummer..all I remember is I had fun ! That was way back..before color TV...
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Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Jimbeaux hits this one on the head. Exclamation

Sometime playing with no drummer, with rhythm duties carried by good upright bass and acoustic rhythm guitar or mandolin players, can be very cool indeed. But as has been said, guitar players who really have that great acoustic guitar 'chop' are getting rarer than hens' teeth - I think it's actually easier to find a good drummer at this point.

Still, all in all, I generally prefer to play with a good drummer, as compared to playing with no drummer. A good drummer and bass player who work well together can pave an 8-lane highway down which a band can cruise in style. It opens up a whole world of rhythmic freedom when you know the pulse will always be right in the pocket.

If you can find a good drummer, try it - you might like it.

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