Mike Donovan Drummer / Entrepreneur / Drum Lessons - Richmond, VA Through years of drumming and playing with great bands and musicians, I've been able to live an incredible dream. Having played the smallest clubs to the largest arenas, my life has been a wonderful journey that I continue to be very grateful for.

I started in 1975 when I was 13 years old. My father was a steel guitar player and I played in several country bands with him before eventually moving on to rock, R&B, and jazz. The natural progression of wanting to be versatile and competitive eventually led me to a world famous school in Hollywood, CA by the name of Musician’s Institute (previously P.I.T. for 'Percussion Institute of Technology') where I received an honors degree in percussion performance.

My set-up at a drum clinic | 2004

From 1987 to 1993 I played in local rock groups, BS&M and Sketch as well as numerous jazz groups such as the Skip Gailes Quartet, Frens, and a fusion band by the name of Secrets that made quite a name for itself on the east coast. Many recognizable players filtered through that band including Steve Wilson, Carter Beauford, Keith Horne and Tim Reynolds. The next couple of years were eventful as we played popular jazz venues and opened for such jazz acts as Stanley Jordan, and The Yellowjackets.

In 1992 I moved to Nashville to pursue a major artist gig. I landed the drum chair with Grammy award winner, Lee Greenwood ("I'm proud to be an American") as well as subbing for other major artists like Faith Hill, John Berry, Earl Thomas Conley, Vicki Bird, Denny Jiosa, The Cox Family and others. I experienced playing large arenas, political conventions, Las Vegas, and numerous TV shows over the next four years. I even got to play the Grand Old Opry and the Ryman Auditorium. Another dream come true. My wife and I decided to move back home in 1996 to start a family. I opened Drum Bum, an online music gift shop, in 1999 and built a network of drumming and theme sites over the next 20 years all the while teaching drum lessons, doing sub gigs, weddings and corporate events with bands such as BS&M (now Attraction), Adrian Duke, Sportsbar Rockstar and others.

BANDS / ARTISTS I'VE WORKED WITH THROUGH THE YEARS

Lee Greenwood - Country / Pop Faith Hill - Country / Pop John Berry - Country / Pop Earl Thomas Conley - Country The Cox Family- Bluegrass The Wooten Brothers - R&B / Jazz Soul Providers - Blues / Old Soul Sportsbar Rockstar - Rock BS&M - Rock Alternative / Pop / R&B Adrian Duke - Blues / Jazz Matthew Steele Band - Jazz Doobie and the Mudwillys - Rock / Jazz Jeff Scot Wills - Jazz Fusion Vicki Bird- Country - Country First Impressions - Jazz / R&B Betty Martin - Country / Top 40

Sketch - Rock / Oldies Secrets - Jazz Fusion Frens - R&B / Jazz Fusion Denny Jiosa - Smooth Jazz Eric Holt - Blues Big Red Boat (Cruise Ship) - Jazz / Big Band / Pop Skip Gailes - Jazz / Latin Spectrum - Big Band / Top 40 Dream Street - Big Band / Top 40 Debo Dabney - Jazz SpoonBender - Jazz John Doe - Rock Alternative Smack Dab - Top 40 Bedrock - Top 40 Pop Top - Top 40 Graham Bland - Country / Top 40

CONTACT
804-273-1353  |  mike @ buygifts.com
Richmond, VA 23230

There are a few pics and practice clips of my drumming on my Facebook page.

Drum Lessons
I teach select students from my office location in Richmond, VA. Contact me for scheduling.

Also...
Drum Bum is chock full of gifts for musicians. Please consider shopping for your band mates.

I run a local Richmond Bands Facebook group for band promotion. This is free for any Richmond area band to post their gigs.

 

Thanks for visiting!

- Mike