While drumming has long been a male-dominated instrument, thankfully things are changing.
However, you might be surprised to find out that amongst the greatest drummers of all time, there have been many influential women who have paved the way for people of all types to enjoy the instrument.
For example, pop star Olivia Rodrigo’s world tour, which has routinely sold out tickets in huge arenas around the globe, features an all-female band and all-female opening acts, with her drummer being Hayley Brownwell from California. Here’s a list of five female drummers who made waves in their own genres:
Cindy Blackman Santana (jazz and rock)
In an industry where drummers routinely get replaced in a period of months, Cindy Blackman established herself as a force to be reckoned with by touring with Lenny Kravitz for 18 years. She started playing the drums when she was seven and was introduced to jazz at 13, before going on to tour the world as a rock drummer in her adult life.
After touring with Kravitz, Blackman released her own music in 2004 with her album “Music for the New Millennium”, returning to her jazz roots with a slightly experimental fusion album. In 2020, she released the 17-track album, “Give the Drummer Some”, on which she sings and drums her own creations.
On gender, Cindy said:
“Any woman, or anyone facing race prejudice, weight prejudice, hair prejudice … if you let somebody stop you because of their opinions, then the only thing you’re doing is hurting yourself.”
Karen Carpenter (pop)
Before Sabrina Carpenter, the most formidable Carpenter act in music was, of course, the Carpenters – the iconic brother-sister duo from Connecticut. While many people know Karen for her stunning vocals on the tracks, some may not realise that she also played the drums, initially her main contribution to the band, before stepping into a vocal role and drumming on some of the records.
As a child, Karen picked up the drums after her brother started playing the piano. But what’s more amazing is she is largely self-taught, teaching herself how to do advanced techniques like complex time signatures and different styles of grips, by rehearsing every day and diligently applying herself to the craft she loved. Karen is an example of a woman who followed her passion and excelled, despite her initial lack of formal resources.
Moe Tucker (experimental rock and avante-garde)
Moe’s interest in unconventional musical style is reflected in her unconventional approach to drumming and her unconventional journey to the instrument. She began playing much later than most musical prodigies, only picking up the drums at 19, and like Karen, she was mostly self-taught and initially taught herself by playing along to pop music on a second-hand drum kit. She played standing up to access the bass drum more easily, and used a modified drum kit, playing with mallets instead of usual drumsticks. She also never used the cymbal, which she believed was too flashy and detracted from the purpose of the drummer to keep time. Rock critic Robert Christgau credits her with having a huge impact on music, especially punk rock, through what he called her “minimalist, limited, autodidactic” style.
Sandy West (hard rock)
Long before Olivia Rodrigo was putting together her all-female band for her unique blend of 2020s pop, Sandy West was doing it in the 1970s, as one of the founding members and drummer of The Runaways, an all-girls hard rock band. Sandy West started drumming at the age of nine, after her grandfather bought her a drum kit, and like many of the other women on this list, she began by teaching herself and enthusiastically learning to play rock through her teens. Her fierce style of hard rock eventually would shape the sound of the Runaways.
Evelyn Glennie (percussion)
As a versatile percussionist, Evelyn Glennie has worked with everyone from classical orchestras, to Icelandic singer Bjork, and is most well-known for performing at the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. The percussionist is also profoundly deaf, losing her hearing starting at the age of 8 due to nerve deterioration, and learnt to play music by feeling it through the rest of her body. She performs barefoot to feel the beat and has worked tirelessly to campaign for the deaf community through her TED talks and other social endeavours.
To sum up
As this diverse list shows, women have contributed majorly to the drumming world over the course of history, despite often being sadly overlooked. From hard rock bands to orchestras, pop hits to experimental sound, drums are wonderful and versatile instruments, and have inspired countless people to make world-changing art.