Drums, Piano – Dane Whatule

Dane has been playing drums for about 21 years. He has played in many churches as far back as 1998 with styles ranging from afro-cuban gospel to jazz and traditional hymns to contemporary music. He is currently the drummer for Alec Henderson Band, playing classic rock and original music. Dane has also played with East Coast Turnaround, the fathers of trucker rock, Shiva Skydriver, an orignal progressive rock band and Renegade Ridge, an outlaw country act, as well as sitting in with many others. Dane has opened for acts such as The Clarks, Great White, Land of Oz, Seven Bridges and more. Dane has recorded with the Alec Henderson Band on his album “On Holiday”, taking inspiration from a wide variety of artists such as; Gavin Harrison of Pineapple Thief and King Crimson, Brann Dailor of Mastodon, Gene Krupa of the legendary Benny Goodman orchestra as well as many others, Dane has a broad base of drumming styles, techniques and application. Dane has given private lessons since 2010, teaching a miriad of ages, styles and skill levels.

My love for drums and their place in music stems from listening to big band and swing records with my grandfather John Whatule, an accomplished accordion and piano player. We spent many evenings playing traditional hymns with a swing and jazz feel. There are few experiences like grooving and vibing with another musician. To me that is what drums are all about. Solid and steady beats are pivotal to being a great drummer but feel is equally, and in some cases more, important. Many drummers can teach the fundamentals of percussion, my goal is to teach my students how to feel the music and connect with fellow musicians.