With just two weeks to go before the opening of Britain’s biggest ever drum show, Manchester’s The UK Drum Show has announced that Gerald Heyward – the Godfather of R&B drumming – will be making a guest appearance. Heyward replaces Stanley Randolph who has had to pull out due to gigging commitments with Stevie Wonder.
A brief glance at Heyward’s resume quickly confirms his status in the drumming fraternity. Heyward has worked with industry figures including Blackstreet, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Missy Elliot, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Mary J. Blige, Coolio, Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, and Brandy. Today, Heyward finds himself constantly in demand and shows no sign of slowing down. Most recently, he has toured with the likes of Chris Brown and Beyonce. He will be appearing in association with DW Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo drum heads, Vic Firth sticks, and Gewa Drums.
‘Gerald Heyward is the icing on the cake of the best line-up of star drummers a UK show has ever seen,’ says organiser Neil Golding. ‘The past 10 months have flown by since the announcement of this event and the level of enthusiasm from manufacturers and distributors is at an all-time high, which is reflected in the stellar artist line-up.
‘We have already been asked if we are planning another event in 2018 and I’m happy to confirm that we are in the process of discussing dates and artists for next year’s show.’
Info: www.theukdrumshow.com