Cameron Clark’s passion for drums began early—at age 4, with pencils and pens drumming on household items, according to his mother and grandmother. “I’d always be tapping and beating on something,” Clark, a sophomore at Alabama State University (ASU) and a Ramsay High School graduate, reminisced.
Clark’s family fondly remembers him constantly tapping on anything in sight, earning frequent reminders to keep the noise down. Now, those rhythms have taken Clark to greater heights as the assistant percussion section leader for ASU’s Mighty Marching Hornets.
Clark credits much of his drive to his grandmother, Sherrie McCoy Jones, who passed away recently, and to the 2002 film Drumline, starring Nick Cannon. Watching Drumline sparked his passion at age 4, and he even memorized every beat from the film. Like Cannon’s character Devon Miles, Clark initially played by ear, but he was determined to learn to read music. His studies at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) made this possible, where he trained under Kim Scott, a renowned jazz musician, and drum instructor David Smith.
Clark also found mentorship in Anthony Williams, the drummer at his church, who let him observe closely and eventually fill in for him. This experience, along with his well-rounded percussion education at ASFA, helped him develop the skills to become a section leader at ASU. Dr. James Oliver, ASU’s longtime band director, noted that section leaders must demonstrate leadership and proficiency across percussion instruments, qualities Clark embodies today.
Related Topics
- Dave Grohl Praises John Bonham’s Iconic Drum Break That Redefined Rock Music
- Snapback by Cableguys Revolutionizes Drum Layering for Music Producers
- Roland Unveils New Electric Drum Set Designed for Quiet Play
