I am proud to be the Moderator of Drum Solo Artist Forum, and also to be recognized on the list of established professional drummers.
LINKS:
http://www.drumsoloartist.com/Site/Drummers_N_Z.html#S
http://www.drumsoloartist.com/wiki/drummers2/ken_sanders
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THE BLOGS (Just click on BLOGS)
These are music related articles that I have posted here to share with everyone.
REGARDING THE PHOTO GALLERY
When you click on the "GALLERY" block above, you will find several photos that were taken over the years. When you view them, if you will CLICK on the actual PICTURE....it will enlarge it....and I've likely added some explanatory comments in the box below the picture.
I am honored to be a recognized artist of the Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society. Nashville is probably best known for Country and Gospel music, but we do have a very active Jazz and Blues scene too.
MUSICAL BIOGRAPHY OF NASHVILLE DRUMMER
KEN SANDERS
Ken Sanders grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and started his path as a musical performer when he was three years old and sang “Goodnight Irene” on the WMAK radio program “Breakfast at the Maxwell House”. Ken started studying piano and was soon playing melodies he heard on the radio. Although his parents would insist that he practice his piano assignments first, they would allow him to play and sing tunes he heard. By the time he was eight, he was getting recognition for his strong voice, he also began singing on a Saturday afternoon WSM radio show “Opry Spotlight”, where his older sister had been performing also. It was there he met many Grand Ole Opry stars of that era; Lonzo and Oscar, Jim Reeves, Cowboy Copas, Ernest Tubb, The Wilburn Brothers, Flat and Scruggs, and Hawkshaw Hawkins.
Ken continued to perform in talent shows and at civic functions during his school years and also learned to play guitar. The music programs in the Nashville Public Schools did not have piano or guitar studies in those days, so Ken decided to learn drums so he could play in the school bands. He learned quickly and beginning in his freshman year, he placed first in the All-Star Band and the All-State Band try-outs. With that recognition he was invited to begin performing with the Peabody College percussion Ensemble, even though he was still in high school.
By 1962, Ken was singing and playing guitar and piano with various teen rock and roll combos in Nashville. Then, at age 14, something happened that changed Ken’s life forever. In 1963, a local band, composed of adult musicians, needed a drummer to perform on dance gigs and local television shows. The band leader knew that Ken played drums in the school band so he asked Ken’s parents if they would let him get a drum set and play with their band. After some conditions from his parents, they agreed and that started Ken’s career as a professional drummer. He used his performances earnings to pay for his first very drum set before he could even drive a car.
Ken earned a BS and an MBA paid for with his music performance earnings and some music scholarships. During those years, Ken became more accomplished as a drummer and vocalist, and he went through a steady progression of “moving up the food chain” into better and more successful Nashville bands. By 1967, Ken had landed the drum chair in Nashville’s most popular pop/R&B; band of that era, the Fairlanes led by guitarist Dan Boone.
Adding to this experience was his opportunity to do some jingles and demo work at Audio Media Studios on drums, backing vocals and even an occasional guitar or keyboard part. He recalls that he had the good fortune to meet and jam with some very interesting musicians who were hanging out in Nashville back then. They included Duane and Greg, members of a club circuit band called the Allman Joys (the early Allman Brothers), and a left-handed black blues guitarist (with straightened black hair and a dyed blonde streak down the middle!) named Jimmy (later changed to Jimi) Hendrix.
The Fairlanes played all the major gigs in the Nashville area, frequently adding vocalist Robert Knight ("Everlasting Love") to their shows. The Fairlanes also backed up other touring vocal artists who played Nashville (such as Clifford Currey, "She Shot A Hole in My Soul"). The Fairlanes were certainly the hot, tight, in demand band of the day in the Nashville area and were chosen to be the “house band” for the first Mid South Pop Festival (an early forerunner of later outdoor rock festivals). They performed with some of the popular artists of the day including Charlie McCoy, Arthur Connolly (“Sweet Soul Music”), Bobby Goldsboro (“Little Things”, “Honey”), Grand Funk Railroad, Bubble Puppy, Joe South (“Oh the Games People Play”, “Walk a Mile in My Shoes”), and Tony Joe White (“Polk Salad Annie”).
In 1970, left Nashville for active duty with the United States Army, and ended up serving his tour in the 129th Army Band. Ken also got a chance to study jazz concepts at the Navy School of Music at Little Creek, VA.
When Ken retuned to Nashville, he went right back to live performing with his old musical colleagues. He continued performing as a drummer/lead singer and in 1981, Ken released "Something You Got" on Chestnut Hill Records. Ken continued to play Fairlanes gigs, as well as engagements and shows in and around Nashville; the bills included Brenda Lee, Buddy Spicer, Art Garfunkle, Eddie Rabbitt, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dobie Gray (“I’m in with the In Crowd”, "Drift Away”, “Loving Arms”), Bruce Channel (“Hey Baby”), and Mark Denning (“Teen Angel”).
With an established reputation as a vocalist/drummer/band leader, Ken has been with several other musical line-ups doing shows with The Drifters, The Platters, Percy Sledge, The Box Tops, Rufus Thomas, The Casinos (“Then You Can Tell Me Good-bye”), Charlie Daniels, Ronnie McDowell, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Kentucky Headhunters, The Kimballs, The Glass Hammer (“I Don’t Wanna Make You Love Me”), Eddie Rabbitt, and The Original Chessmen. He has also traveled with the Memories of Conway Twitty Show. In 2006, he was honored to be included as an instrumental/vocal artist for a series of festival performances in Costa Rica with the show and dance group representing Tennessee’s musical heritage.
Today, Ken performs with KEN SANDERS AND RETROSPECT, a class rock act; and with the Sanders-Nelson trio doing jazz and pop.In Nashville, Ken also enjoys performing on drums occassionally with the Jazz Alliance,an 18 piece ensemble that performs of Big Band Jazz.
You can contact personally Ken at:
[email protected]
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