Music Lane

Posted by rbolaw (A) on March 11, 2015 at 18:05:39

In Reply to: RE: Read somewhere that tympanists are the highest paid in the orchestra. Anyone know if true? (nt) posted by semuta on March 11, 2015 at 16:45:56

It may be true for at least one timpanist who played in the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra at age 18 named Butch Trucks. A few years later he became a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, where he continued to play the timpani (you can hear it booming away on some of their recorded tracks), as well as a more standard rock 'n' roll drum set. Eventually, he was pretty highly paid. ;)
Ed.: I heard Mr. Trucks speak at a book signing event. He was very intelligent and entertaining, and one of his comments was, no matter how poorly one is playing the drums on any given night, one can finish with a dramatic timpani flourish and save the performance.

Edits: 03/12/15