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Michael Smith |
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Born in Chicago in 1946, year one of the baby boom generation, Michael Smith's first attempts at music, violin and piano lessons, were a complete bust. Michael considers himself lucky to have been born in time to witness the birth and early evoloution of Rock & Roll in the 50's and 60's. By the time he entered college in 1964 (at the University of California at Davis), he had managed to convince his parents to trade in the old violin for a drum set. Though he had never had any formal training on the drums, Michael played nearly every weekend while an undergraduate in the mid-60's in various rock groups at college. Like swimming or riding a bicycle, Michael says drumming is something he learned by watching (and listening), and doing. |
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In 1967, Michael traded in his drum set for an engagement ring, and entered into law school the next year. Michael thought that his days as a percussionist were over, and for 30 years, this was the case. (As it turned out, that marriage ended after 8 years. "I should have kept the old drum set," he says.) Then, in 1997, his church, St. Andrew in West Chicago, IL, decided to start a contemporary music worship service. They needed someone to play the drums and the Pastor had heard that Michael used to play while in college 30 years ago. Michael has been a regular at St. Andrew contemporary services ever since. Michael met Jane and Steve in 1999 and the rest, as they say, is history. |