On March 12th these two drums that played thousands of RB/B&B
shows together will be reunited to play Barnum & Bailey's Favorite
at a concert at Treasure Island Florida 7:30 PM. Two great stories of vintage drum survival. I am thinking it will be quite the "Rush" to hear and play the drums on a song you know they played thousands of times.
Both drums toured with the circus for over 20 years and both have survived and are still playing today. Two interesting stories. I will have my wife video it. Can't wait to hear them "speak" to each other after 50 years. If you live in that area please come.
Here is the bass drum story:
http://www.southpasadenaband.com/about-us/history/the-story-of-our-bass-drum/
Here is the snare story:
In 1939 George Way, CEO and designer for Leedy Drum Company designed and built a bass drum and a snare drum
as a custom order for Merle Evans & Ringling Brothers Barnum & Baily Circus. The snare was made specifically for Red Floyd who was snare drummer for over 30 years. It is White Marine Pearl with circus animals, clowns, etc decorating the shell.
William Ray ("Red") Floyd, who was with Famed Bandmaster Merle Evans for twenty years under the big top and an addition of eight years in buildings, was during all of that time Merle Evans' right hand man and was conceded to be the most gifted of all snare drummers.
Many musicians have credited Floyd with adding greatly to their knowledge of and facility with the snare drum.
With 16 gauge gut snares it was a LOUD drum. ( and still is)
Made to fill the big top unmiked.
The New York Philharmonic percussion section would come to watch him play when the circus was at Madison Square Garden.
I also read that he had a great one handed roll that he did using 2 sticks
like extended fingers.
The drum was used by Red Floyd for over 20 years.
When Red retired in 1964 Rudy Bundy who was
Treasurer and Director of Operations of Ringling Brothers bought it from Merle Evans, put legs on it and used it for a cocktail table in his private train car where it
traveled with the circus for another 10 years. Big Band leader & Ringling executive Rudy Bundy many years ago converted a barn on his families farm near Quaker City, Ohio into a vacation cabin where the drum has been for the last 40 years.
I discovered it and was able to purchase it from the family and it is now my prized possession.
These drums have been EVERYWHERE. Thousands of shows.
