Is drumming for hippies? Yes. Is drumming for non-hippies? Yes.
First of all, I want to point out that (executives in many cases of) the following Fortune 500 companies have used drumming for team building: Qualcomm, Sprint, PepsiCo, IBM, Nike, AT&T, Honeywell International, Motorola, and more.
Second of all, I have a story. After getting to know my parents, you would never assume that they would ever drum. Not to mention, you might imagine the friendly wager between my sister and me when they flew from Georgia to visit me for the first time in California last Thanksgiving. My sister swore I would never get them to drum…
Background on my parents: My loving parents are about as non-hippie as you can get. They are devout Anglicans, a denomination of Christianity that does not allow women to be ordained and uses the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. (Other worship service characteristics include non-charismatic ritual, bowing heads, genuflecting, kneeling, quietly praying, and intellectual sermons.)
My parents are also passionate Republicans. When I was growing up, my parents told me what a tumultuous time the Vietnam Era was because of the increased drug-use, long hair, and as my Dad puts it “the powerful, nihilistic sub-culture which existed then predominantly on campuses and has continued to invade many of our other non-profit institutions.” (He was describing hippies.) My Dad would never be caught dead wearing bluejeans, and he suggests to anyone who wears his/her hat backwards, “It would be far more effective and efficient if you wore a billboard that said ‘World, do not take me seriously.’” My Mom has marched at least twice on Washington. Once against the ERA, and once against Obama’s healthcare reform. They also often attend local Tea Party events. Pretty hardcore, eh?
Back to non-hippies and drumming~ After breakfast the morning they were here last November, I caught a lull in the visit. I went for some drums, put them in their hands, and voila. Following a quick and slightly awkward moment, I belted out “ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS…” and we were off, drumming away. That’s all it took. We sang some patriotic tunes. My Dad played my high school’s signature football drum call, over and over. I couldn’t pull my Dad away. And guess what. He told me that when he was a kid, he had always wanted to be a rock ‘n’ roll drummer! I had no idea that my accountant, statistician of a Dad ever wanted to be a drummer!
No wonder he couldn’t get enough drumming. He even sat through a photo shoot with the drums.
As a side note, perhaps my opinions and values are not the same as my parents, but I certainly am proud of them for practicing their beliefs, upholding their values, and being my one and only, authentic Mom and Dad.
Check out the other music therapy Mythbusters:
#9 Music Therapy is Therapy for Musicians, Right?
#8 Making Music is Just for Kids and Professionals
#6 Mozart Makes your Kid a GENIUS
Special thanks to federico stevanin for the image above.
Love this! Interestingly enough, I don’t worry about drumming being for just the hippies, but rather for the “professional drummers”. I feel intimidated about picking up a drum and just drumming. “oh i’m not a drummer..” “i’m not very good” “i don’t have the training..” Wish someone would throw a drum in my hands and tell me “onward!”
This blog is amazing Kat! Keep up the great work
Great point, Erin! Next time you’re in town, let’s go to a drum circle with pro drummers, and we’ll both take it ON! I always tell my drum class students that when toddlers learn to walk, they don’t just eventually throw their hands up and say “forget it, I’ll never walk!” They just keep on keepin on with minimal judgement/criticism, and that’s how I feel about drumming, pro or not =) Thanks for the comment – great food for thought!
I thought of you, Kat, when I saw this all over the web. Now here’s a drummer. Don’t know if he is a past or present hippie.
Mustn’t let Dad see this or he’ll want a huge set of drums.
Thanks for sharing the link, Mom =) We’ll have to keep Dad away from that video! Love, KB
Great blog Kat! And great pic of your Dad with the drum! I just met my Dad 9 months ago and have since then learned to embrace my hippie-ness! He was a TOTAL hippie back in his day, and surprise surprise, he loves to drum!
Thanks Justine! Sounds like you’ve just had a significant experience. So cool that your Dad loves to drum! Be well, Kat
Lol. love this.
I grew up with staunch Presbyterians where my idea of fun was hymn sight singing the alto parts for the first 2 verses, and tenor for the second 2 verses. ooh yeah! exciting eh? 
Until the rebelliousness set in, that is. Now as an adult, I’m thankful that drumming is something that is in essence, so spiritual it leads me back around in a constant flex of spiritual circles. What would we do without rhythm?????
Without rhythm, we’d be lost! =) Thanks for sharing, CJ!