Rick Lawton
Rick was born and raised in Lexington, Virginia. He graduated from the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in 1979. He gained great day-to-day playing experience touring for 3 years on the Holiday Inn circuit, still a leading provider of live music in the Southeastern United States.

He then played in Army bands for 6 years, worked for a national drum distributor, managed music store drum departments, and helped new and inexperienced drummers invest in drum gear.

He's been teaching for over 20 years, and has shared the stage with Patti Labelle, Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, and the Monterey Bay Symphony Orchestra.

Rick has also become a Vic Firth stick endorser and a member of the Vic Firth Educational Team.
Vic Firth, the world's largest manufacturer of Drumsticks & Mallets, has a great site where you can access Video Lessons, Interviews & More. And yes, drummers, you can get lost out there for awhile.

Rick's played in various rock, jazz and blues bands since age 15, and now resides, teaches, writes and plays in the Philadelphia area, including holding down the drum chair and driving the rhythm section for blues-drenched, horn-enriched, legendary award-winning Jersey band Joe Zook & Blues Deluxe.

*What is PASIC and who is PAS?

The Percussive Arts Society (PAS) has been helping, training, and supporting drummers and percussionists (and percussion manufacturers) in all areas for over 45 years. PAS sponsors everything from concerts to clinics to competitions.

And that includes all forms, styles, and skill levels, from professional rock, latin and jazz drummers, to the smallest school marching bands.

And, of course, they host the PASIC event, which is the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Last year was in Columbus, Ohio, and this year, in November PASIC is in Austin, Texas.

If you go, as Rick reported from this year's convention, "everybody who's anybody in drums is in attendance".

There's tons of new gear, all the manufacturers (both the huge majors and small specialists and craftspeople), and more live drumming than you can imagine!