Some people march to the beat of a different drum. After 57 years of beating the skins, Dorothea Taylor is certainly one of them!
Dorothea has been passionate about playing since she first picked up some sticks when she was 13 years old. Since then, she has become known in the music world as “the godmother of drumming.”
While she now lives in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, Dorothea grew up in Michigan. After playing in her hometown’s bugle corps, she quickly abandoned the piano and declared the drums to be her true passion. From there, she joined band after band, performing five nights a week and giving private lessons on the side.
“Having a drum and bugle corps in my hometown for performances throughout the summers and also seeing Buddy Rich on television made my passion for drums even stronger,” she said. “I had already taken six years of piano so I knew what I wanted to do.”
Dorothea believes “a real musician hears music and rhythms in his/her head 24 hours a day.”
She practices her craft every single day and takes her practice pads with her everywhere she goes. She performs all over, too! She’s a member of rock bands, orchestras, and church and theater groups, and she even sits in for school concerts.
Everywhere she goes, she smashes gender and age norms and makes people think twice about judging others by their appearance!
“Drummers come in all ages, sizes, shapes, ethnicities… and regardless of how good you are, how old you are, we’re all still part of a drumming family,” Dorothea said. “So remember: Don’t judge a drummer, or anybody, by their looks, and always, always, always keep sharing your drumming passion to the world.”
In recent years, Dorothea has established an impressive online community. She frequently offers free tutorials on TikTok and Instagram, hoping to pass along her love of the instrument and help others follow in her footsteps.
One of her most-watched posts on TikTok shows off how effortless she makes drumming seem. It’s no wonder it has been viewed more than 44 million times!
Dorothea is living proof that you don’t have to look a certain way to do what you love. She may look like a sweet grandma – and she is – but there’s so much more to her than meets the eye.
Watch one more incredible performance from our new favorite drummer in the video below, and don’t forget to share her story with your friends.
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