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Ray, after 17 years, has returned to his hometown in Frederick, MD., |
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Ray Sword - Drummer/Percussionist
BadAssDrumming.com Endorsed Artist
Ray Sword was born in Washington, DC and raised in Frederick, MD. His love of drumming started in elementary school and he's been at it ever since. He was hooked when he saw a televised performance of Buddy Rich and Ed Shaughnessy back in the 60's
Ray became an accomplished tympanist and drummer during high school, making All County and Regionals Honor Band in Western MD for several years. He was fortunate to be taught by Dick Janes of Peabody and of the DCA Corps Baltimore Yankee-Rebels. He also was a bassist and percussionist in his high school's Jazz Band for 3 years under the direction of John Slezak.
After his time in the Army he went back to his hometown and got musically active again. He joined a country band at the time and played throughout the MD., VA., W. VA. area for a while. Ray got his big break when he met Jeff "Cherokee" Bunn from Parliament/P-Funk.
In the latter 90's Ray formed a house band, Total Eclipse, to run an Open Mic Blues Night Show in Richmond, VA for several years, while playing with numerous other bands. Ray was also teaching high school drumlines in VA at this time. One of those bands was touring through the casinos in the U.S. and Ray ended up moving to El Paso, TX in 2000.
It wasn't long before Sword got a teaching gig at Ysleta High School for the All-Girls Drum Corps. He got active in playing with groups like Dr. Groove and Fuego Latino, a member of the Friends of Jazz in El Paso and a percussion student at UTEP.
"Going to UTEP to study drumming was the best thing I ever did for my career. Professor Larry White and Dr. Don Wilkenson really helped me understand more the importance of well rounded studies of all drumming styles." stated Sword.
Sword's studies put him in the spotlight while playing with UTEP's Pep Band. He was offered a teaching position with the David L Carrasco Job Corps Center in El Paso, TX when a director of the center was attending a UTEP basketball game and the Pep Band was playing. There's much, much more to his background so be sure to ask him about it.
