Male

The reason I like Tribe is that here it is very efficient to hold conversations and exchange information. The serious artists, especially musicians and dancers, come here to ask questions, share information, and express their love for their arts. So, in that my profile and blog will be about two of my loves, music and dance.

I began my relationship with music in elementary school. I took two years of piano, and there I learned to sight read, because I didn't practice. I loved music, but piano just wasn't IT. Then, in Junior High, I started the bassoon. I wanted drums, then coronet, and I let the band director and my dad talk me into the bassoon. That wasn't bad. I learned what I needed to know.

Fast forward five years to the spring of my junior year in High School. There you'll find me sitting first chair in the symphonic band, and playing second chair bassoon in the Irving Symphony. But something was missing. I was back to sight reading again, and fooling a very talented band director into thinking I was still practicing. He gave me high compliments one day on a Spanish piece that I'd looked at maybe twice. This guy hardly ever gave out compliments. Scared the crap out of me. So, acting out of the fear of the responsibility to my talent and letting that and my people down if they found out I was faking it, I quit to be a soccer jock.

But, and this is a giant BUT, I never quit learning and actively listening to music. It was here that I developed my love for rhythm and time. For thirty years I silently drummed on just about anything, and drove my associates batty picking out the time signatures and rhythms on stuff. I was limited to what I heard on the radio. I had no idea there was anything else that I could get my ears on in my little world of suburban North Texas.

Then, I was drawn to drum circles, met the folks in IIWII and began playing frame drum. At the time I was listening to American Indian music, modern and folkloric. By accident, I stumble upon the ISIS Dancers and their drummers at a ren faire. I was drawn to it like a small child to candy. It tickled my mind, and made my hands move. I started with the drumming class of the second half of 2007. Instantly I knew I could do this. It's been my passion ever since.

I invite you to sample what you can of my world, and you might have some fun! I know I am.

My other pages are at www.myspace.com/wyatt_gunslinger and www.facebook.com/todddeatherage
My other blog is at: www.crazyshaman.blogspot.com/