''Drum Beat''

This Book is Inspired by ″My Other Book″ ″G-Flat″

As a child, that one musical instrument that fascinated me the most was the Drums, I even built my own, set of drums, with bucket’s and metal cans and cooking pats, used aluminum pans as Cymbals, I would play along with my favorite songs, played for hours at a time, me and my best friend,''

″Slick’

had our own Jazz Band and homemade microphones, what sounded like a bunch of mess, was our creativity and in our minds we were absolutely professionals, as children we improvise, we didn’t have the real thing, so we create our own, instruments with everyday materials.

We pretty much did that with everything we enjoyed doing, even our set of skates, would end up, being part of a skate board, nailed too tow by four planks of wood, design a box cart and some paint, we even made our own gauges and tachometers, that were really connected too anything, but it looked so, neat although they were functional, we didn’t care we were all about looks, and style, we always made our regular toys do things they weren’t designed for, even our bicycles , we would make our bikes, sounds like they had a motor, by wedging a playing card too the frame where the back wheel spokes would make contact with the card, and even a balloon tired too the back wheel frame, tie in too front and back frame for even louder sound.

The older we got the more creative we became, tried our hands at mechanic’s this the one area,'' I wasn’t interested in,''

however, it would prove too be very cost saving, when I got my own vehicle, never ever paid for another tune-up, I learned everything but the guts of an engine, everything attached too the engine, and under the carriage, I could repair, except the Hog Head of the rear end, and drive shaft, never tackled those, I could install stereo’s and gauges, so imagine the money I saved doing my own work, just too spend that money somewhere else, what I couldn’t fix, my backyard mechanically inclined friend’s had me covered, for cheap, we would always go too Parker’s Garage and junk yard, too get our parts dirt cheap, parts were labelled for make and model, along with the miles of the car odometer readings.

However, I’m still thinking about buying my own drum set , I keep procrastinating because, I’m freely playing on the so many different people sets, I finally break down, and purchase a set from the pawnshop, it was all I needed, I really wasn’t that good ,

″ playing with your knuckles on a school desk is child’s play, compared too holding a pocket with a complete set,″

True Story:

I was a Dye Weigher at the plant , my job was too provide Powder Dyes and Liquid Dyes too eight operators, and once I’m caught up, I had a lot of,

″Idle″ time, I would, set up, empty drums the Dyes came in, and create a makeshift Drum set, using steel buckets as my Tom Toms, my work area was isolated, so I was hardly ever disrupted, this is a restricted area anyway, no one works in the room, but me, I was practice beats all night long, I could feel the improvement of my skills, and it eventually paid off good enough too land some ″Gigs.″

I didn’t take up, music in school, I could have learned the Art and the technical aspects of reading music and the science of sound, I played by ear, never learned how too drum roll, these are basic methods too mold you into a real percussionist, I’m sure many have never taken lessons, they are gifted, I just played around with drums, I’m not a percussionist by any means, but,

'' I can hold a pocket, and if you can hold a pocket you can play for a group or band, or choir,''

I’ve had 3 positions as Drummer for Church choirs....My Brother, whom, I love and admire, actually gave me my first position as a Drummer for a Church he was the Minister of Music. Prince of Peace Baptist Church, 25th Street East Winston, the Church was located two houses from my dad’s house and after Church, my brother and I would go by my Dad’s, even after Choir Rehearsals,″

″ however''

it would be short lived, because Purcell, can be a live wire, at times, he dedicated so, much time too better his craft, he even wrote songs and he was impatient with folks messing over his money, and his time, he and Pastor Adams, bumped heads over Purcell payment and Purcell, quit, and I stayed a lil while longer, under the Direction of Eugene Bess, Purcell’s replacement, Eugene was awesome, he worked with me, in private sessions, he taught me how too set the cue for a song too begin, with the clicks of drum sticks, Eugene was a Legend, who has played in most local bands, he was a patient Director, the Church brought in this young drummer, and I moved on, only too land a position as, Drummer for Union Baptist Church B.F. Daniels Gospel Choir and the Della Johnson Senior Choir and The Male Chorus, I had the big head now for sure, I have landed a Dream position I didn’t care about getting paid, I loved this opportunity, packed Church every Sunday, I still couldn’t play, in my mind, but they kept me, my biggest moment was Men ’s Day, when the Choir would line up at the back of the Church, and march too the stand, singing,″

″Lord, Help Me Too Hold Out″

I also, played for the Pastor B.F. Daniels 8th Anniversary Concert, Purcell, helped this Choir too reach their full potential, he made all the rehearsals, even though they had an Organist, Tim Simmons, another great musician, Sherwood Davis was the Church Minister of Music for many years, he played for the Mass Choir, and all other Services, Tim only played for the Della Johnson and B.F. Daniels and Male Chorus, along with Mrs. Russell the Pianist, Tim was patient with me, he knew I couldn’t play worth a'' $#!+,'' but we made it work, many times, even at other Church visitations, he and I worked it out.

The Concert turned out a success, the Choir President Gloria Jackson acknowledged, Purcell’s contribution as a guest Musician.

I truly wished Purcell would, settle down, and go along with folks Programs in a Professional manner.

Purcell always been this,

'' Mad Scientist and had a short fuse,''

he perfected the Piano and the Organ, and his ego, was charged, he hadn’t long moved back here too live, he been in Las Vegas for many years.

I can remember, when he landed a great job, with Reynolds Health Center as an Medical Tech, I financed, him a car and a Baby, Grand Piano, for his new apartment, he was making good money, so,''

no problem, ... I’m trying too keep up, with him, and hanging out, visiting other, Churches, he jumping on these folks B-3 Hammond, Organs, and Piano’s, during Devotional Services, I’m looking around waiting on one of them,

″still got some street in them,″

Deacons, too say something too Purcell, never happened, they enjoyed it, Purcell, had at least, 4, Minister of Music Positions, and all ended, with Purcell, walking out,''

'' Hanes CME, Rev. William Fails, Union Bethel AME, Rev. Werts, 2nd New Trinity, Prince of Peace Baptist, Rev. Bernard Adams ,''

this is the, where, I began, too see, where he was too impatient with people, and this where, we began too argue, and he would, disappear, for days without answering his phone, and return my calls, and sometimes, when I would catch up, with him, his face would have scratches on it, he still had this attitude, and never wanted too discuss, what’s going on with, him, then, he, quit, his job, moved all his belongings too Michigan, hardly, called home, and we eventually, heard from, him, saying,

″he was coming back home,″

only this time, he is very sick, ....this Drug Addiction had taken full control, members of the family, pulled together, too shelter him, and support him, in any way we could, his sickness made him, even harder too deal with, he got, sicker, he, was admitted too the Hospital in Graham NC, we, would, convoy and visit him, sing and laugh and talk, bout the old times, he would look around the room at everybody and just stare, a close friend of the family, wanted too sing a song, just too him,..Geraldine, ...sung,″

″Still holding On″.

...we had no idea this, helfer, was gone sing no $#!+, like that, we looking at each other like ,″

''WTH,″

...even Purcell, looked at her, and said,

″who told you too sing that″

....he should have smacked her, ass, I, wouldn’t have open, my mouth,..and said a word, ...... I know she meant well, but dammit,''

''some $#!+, you just don’t do''

... so, later on, we tried too get, Purcell, too eat his favorite lemon, pie, he love so, much, but he only took two bites and put the fork down, he was, sitting at the table, starting too drop off, too sleep, been a long day for him,......we embraced, one another, and hugged, Purcell, fragile, body, ...''

I, knew in my Heart, as many times, as I, have, been there, .... this would be the last time, I would see, him, alive, his wave, tore my insides apart, this time, and it, ripped at my heart, I could actually, feel the loss, it’s hard finishing this memory, because, I’m seeing his face, as I bring this too an End,....

″No Tears for the Writer, there will be no Tears for the Reader″

......Rest In Paradise, James Purcell Little......You Know Just How Much, I Loved You...″ .That’s One Thing I have, that Comforts My Heart″..

″Walk With Me, Lord″

My 3rd, gig, would be a Concert with a Friend from The Plant, I worked at, David Willis, was the Minister of Music at his Church in High Point N.C. Mount Vernon Baptist Church,

These folks must be desperate for a Drummer, in my mind, they even paid me and gave me Love Offerings...I absolutely love, Church,

feeling the need to be open an honest about my Church life growing up...started my first real experience with Church during the summer of 1964 in Salisbury N.C. where I spent the summer......''

well it was suppose to be for the summer ended up being 3 years with my great grandma Earldina Hairston known to everybody throughout the hood as ’Nanny”...85 years old ....I’m 9 years old hard headed been raised in liquor house’s my whole 9 years....now I’m living with Nanny in a one bedroom duplex on Cemetery Street...street full of good people who took care one another... Our duplex was basic cold water pop belly stove in the front room small kitchen back porch really considered a shotgun house see through the front to the back.....our neighbor was a older lady as well that slam doors all day when she come in an out she slam the door behind her.

'' Miss Caldonia,''.......Nanny couldn’t stand this lady they barely spoke she never had company she just go in an out slamming her door the man that lived on the other side of her was Mr. Kelly....live by himself, sharp distinguish looking gentleman with a clean Cadillac we rode to Church in it every Sunday. .he liked my Nanny slick joker....I’m just gone tell y’all the truth Nanny was cold mean an stern...love the Lord but she was brutal in her acts of kindness an tough love...Nanny use to look in my ears... an tell me,

'' you ain’t cleaned your ears good go get the dish rag bring it here''

she gave the paperboy the blues the insurance man the blues the Raleigh man the blues.....my daddy, when he would, come down, visit.... got the news an the blues.....Nanny needed me just as much as I needed her bottom line...her arthritis was crippling, she didn’t get around very good but she was stubborn independent an she new her Rights... she was all over city government affairs they knew her downtown and my Aunt Sue...these black women worked for some good white folks. ..these people made information available..as well as resources... I paid attention to Everything an Everyone...I was protective of Nanny , I didn’t talk back because I love my life, Nanny kept a 25 automatic pistol somewhere nearby an I am sure she would not hesitate even with her crippled hands...life with Nanny was hard but it was fair...she love to dip tuberose snuff an rock an hum...“

” somewhere to lay my head”

...over an over..loved Sanka instant coffee...sang on the choir for years at Soldier Memorial Methodist Church...I would sit in the back of the church with my boys an act a fool during service....Nanny quietly came back there one Sunday ..I didn’t see her coming I was down in the seat of the pew...something came down across the corner of my head like a ton of bricks it was Nanny handkerchief filled with dimes....set up straight an Hush....This Lady, was my refuge, she saved my Life.

Rest In Peace, ''Nanny''