The fact that anyone can play music is a beautiful quality. There have been many musicians with various disabilities throughout history.
In contrast to the guitar or the piano, the drums are a considerably more physically demanding instrument, requiring the use of all of your limbs to produce the sounds. Furthermore, your back may be harmed by the stool you’re sitting on. Playing involves your entire body in motion.
We will highlight a few drummers in this post who have persevered despite their disabilities.
1. Robert Wyatt
Robert served as Soft Machine’s first drummer while they were an English rock band. They were one among the groups driving the Canterbury scene forward. It is a type of progressive rock that features improvisational music with jazz-like characteristics. The music needs a clear direction.
He quit Soft Machine in 1970. Then Wyatt joined forces with Matching Mole to create another Canterbury scene band. The End of an Ear, his debut solo record, was soon made available.
Unfortunately, he broke his spine after falling out of a fourth-floor window while recording his second solo album at a party. As a result, he was paralyzed from the waist down and spent the remainder of his life in a wheelchair. Despite this, Wyatt carried on playing the piano.
Pink Floyd organized two benefit concerts for Robert because of his musical impact, raising about $10,000. Parts of his solo album, Rock Bottom, primarily composed before the accident, were altered to make a performance for Robert easier. Even more so, Wyatt released a cover of “I’m a Believer” that peaked at number 29 in the UK music charts.
Up to December 2014, he continued in his career. Robert declared that he didn’t want it to “Go off.” The decision to cease playing music before the passion fades is a brave one for any musician. The piece was left behind when Robert Wyatt adopted a more political lifestyle.
2. Dean Zimmer
There aren’t many people that overcome the odds. Dean is one of those individuals who can make the worst things into the greatest. He has severe joint movement restrictions due to arthrogryposis. His twisted arms allow you to observe the effects quickly.
Additionally, he uses a wheelchair and is only capable of crawling. Zimmer nearly seems unaware that he even has this impairment. He plays the drums flawlessly. Although it has a clean appearance sloppily, it remains cohesive. When playing the music, Dean excels at doing excessive filler and necessary soloing.
Expert Tip: When he appeared in the documentary “Drummer Wanted: Dean Zimmer,” fame started growing. It portrayed his life as a budding musician and demonstrated his talent and dedication to playing.
Drummers from Ringo Starr’s All-Star Band, such as Gregg Bissonette, make an appearance. He describes how Dean plays from the heart and rejects playing quickly or with intricate chops to be musical.
Greg also describes how he never sits motionless when playing and always has a bounce. He has to physically move his entire body to play the kit because of his infirmity. It gives his playing a distinctive quality and allows him to personalize the set.
At Club M in California, Zimmer is currently a regular. He previously had difficulty finding employment since the sight of a drummer in a wheelchair might rapidly cause him to be turned away.
The public’s perception of a disabled drummer has now been significantly altered, allowing many more people to follow in their footsteps. In the realm of drumming, Dean Zimmer is a trailblazing figure.
3. Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder’s songs “Superstition,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” and “Sir Duke” are well-known. Stevie is a phenomenal drummer, in addition to being best known as the blind pianist and vocalist. Stevie is featured on the kit in songs like “Superstition” and “Boogie on Reggae Woman.” He has a very edgy fashion sense.
It only appears in his music and drives it his way. This is one of those drummers with a particular style that cannot be imitated. Perhaps his potentially heightened hearing is the cause of this. This might help him understand the song’s needs, how to make it groove, and how to give it a feeling. Stevie mainly relies on his ears because he cannot see the music being played.
Some musicians emphasize their instruments’ aesthetics, gear, and band appearance, but Wonder is unconcerned with any of this. His focus is entirely on the fundamentals of music rather than any showy playing or appearance. His drumming is shown in several online videos, and solo performances at his concerts are excellent examples.
He has some percussionists playing with him, so he only plays part of the solo. However, he continues to be the star performer who commands the audience’s attention.
Conclusion
Being a drummer is already an accomplishment. It uses your entire body in contrast to other instruments. It requires whole physical exertion. This list of drummers doing the same with some form of disadvantage is quite a spectacle. These musicians demonstrate that a disability should not limit one’s abilities.
Make the most of every opportunity, and never give up on your dreams.