Billy Gladstone Snare - Steve Maxwell - Tommy Thomas

Music City Drum Show

This will be the final report of my attendance to the Music City Drum Show in Nashville.

As I’ve mentioned, the highlights of my exhibiting at the Music City Show were the conversations. Along with my various books and publications, I also had vintage drums to sell.

One of my drums was a 1920s Leedy snare drum. It was viewable to most attendees as they walked the aisles. Monitoring my booth, I recognized Steve Maxwell as he walked up for a closer look at my Leedy drum.

I introduced myself and told him I knew who he was. I’ve been following his vintage drum Youtube videos for several years.

I mentioned to Steve that I recently watched his video on the Papa Joe Jones (Ludwig Black Beauty) snare drum. How surprised I was to find out it was used by Billy Cobham on the Inner Mounting Flame record. For me, that record is a monumental piece of music.

I grabbed a copy of the Tommy Thomas Percussion Library and showed it to Steve. I ask him if he received the copy I recently sent. He said he did, and was very complimentary.

I told Steve a few of the highlights about Tommy and the book.

I then pointed out to Steve a photo that’s still a mystery.

(The Billy Gladstone snare drum) The photo I’m writing about, I’ve seen thousands of time. It’s on the books cover.

Tommy sent me a photo and letter in 1987, which he talks about that Gladstone Snare Drum. As a twenty-something, when I first met Tommy, (1973) he mentioned many well-known drummers and industry inventors.

In the 70s, he mentioned Billy Gladstone. I didn’t really get wise to Billy Gladstone until I started organizing Tommy’s materials.

Steve Maxwell’s main location is in Chicago. I’ll again mention that Tommy was born in Chicago. (1901) Tommy’s early years 20s and 30s, he traveled the United States playing in popular dance bands. When he tired of being ‘on the road” he became one of Chicago’s A List Theatre drummers.

He was also employed by the (ABC) American Broadcasting Company) Radio and entertainment company) Tommy shared percussion duties with Bobby Christian. Those were live broadcast on nationwide radio.

Tommy also played in bands with Benny Goodman and Bix Beiderbecke. (They were all sidemen) On Sunday’s, Tommy went to Louis Armstrong’s house for jam sessions.

Chicago was the place for music and music instrument manufacturers. Tommy was recognized as a supreme drummer and endorsed many drum and percussion brands during his career. Those included Ludwig, Zildjian, Slingerland, Gretsch, Deagan and Billy Gladstone. He was a friend with WFL, Claire Musser and others.

Several of the mentioned manufacturers utilized Tommy to author drum notation books, posters and organize materials for publishing.

Tommy taught himself how to read, write and compose music. He also studied “Legit” music, conducting and tympani with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

In my conversation with Steve Maxwell, we discussed the photo of Tommy and the Gladstone snare drum. Steve Maxwell has brokered many Gladstone drums.

There were multiple periods in Tommy’s Chicago career.

After WW2, Tommy got the gig playing drums on the Don McNeil Breakfast Club. (1945-1965) He played that gig 5 days a week for 20 years.

Those years in the late 30s and early 40s, Tommy played his ABC Orchestra gig and theatres.

Steve Maxwell told me, it was difficult to detail the Gladstone Drum from the photo.

The story Tommy told me about that drum is this. He also writes about the drum in his photo.

Billy Gladstone originally sent Tommy a 5x14 snare drum to match his Gretsch set. Tommy didn’t like it, and sent it back to Billy. Billy then made the deeper drum you see in the photo.

(Steve Maxwell is a Billy Gladstone expert. I’m not) Hence, it’s a mystery.

It’s possible that Ted Reed acquired the original thin drum.

These uploaded photos were taken at The Village Lounge in Lake Buena Vista, Walt Disney World. Louie Bellson would play there yearly, with the house trio.

I heard Louie many times during these visits.

Tommy introduced me to Louie the night of these photos.

Ted Reed brought his Billy Gladstone drums to the club. That’s Maurie Lishon (Franks Drum Shop) Ted Reed (Drummer Author) and Louie Bellson.

I’m not an expert on the Billy Gladstone lineage of drums. For the past several years, I’ve heard it said, that he build 50+ snare drums.

Many of those drums were for well-known drummers. Most of those drums Billy created (made for ___________) badges for those drums. I don’t believe Tommy had a custom badge.

Billy Gladstone also connected with the Fred Gretsch Drum Company and produced Gretsch-Gladstone drums.

(There’s a Gladstone book I used to own) It’s disappeared) The Gladstone book has the factual information about the Gladstone period. Again, I’m only speaking what I know.

The posted letter from Tommy to me, details his age as 28, in the Gladstone photo. Tommy looks similar in age, to the 1935 Tommy in the Slingerland Zildjian Calendar.

I can verify that’s Tommy as a young man, with his natural hair.

Later in mid life, he became bald. He joked about it and acquired what he called a Toupee. (AKA “TOE-PAY)

The photo with the Tommy – Gretsch – Broadcaster kit was taken before Tommy joined the Don McNeil Breakfast Club Show. (1945) That McNeil sign was added like a 1940s pre-Photoshop graphic.

As Tommy writes in his letter, the Gladstone drum was stolen from him while he was on vacation. He was playing the Chicago theatres at the time.

Hence, the Billy Gladstone / Tommy Thomas Snare Drum Mystery

Additional photos include:

(1) Tommy and his bike. Tommy rode his bike into his 90s. (Tommy was hit by cars-on three occasions)

(2) March 1935 – Slingerland Banjo and Drum Company (Chicago, Illinois) Zildjian “Sock” Cymbals

(3) Tommy photo with Double Bass Drum – High Hat pedal. I wrote about this in Tommy’s book, my thoughts pertaining to the timeline. Tommy was close - friends with William F Ludwig. (1879-1973) I believe this was probably a prototype version that was created, and sold. (It’s in the book) This would be late (20s – early 30s-?) Note, the single tension Bass Drum. I own a CC Conn that looks very similar.

(4) Ray Bauduc Dixieland Drumming Book / In 1937 Tommy organized and notated this book for his friend Ray and WFL. This book was given to each buyer of a Ludwig drumset.

(5) Tommy authored this: The Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Co. poster in 1940. That’s Tommy’s hand written notation and calligraphy. Billy Gladstone is in the center of the poster with his famous snare drum.

Tommy and other notables include legendary Dave Tough.

Notice what Tommy did with the one measure rhythm. Two versions with straight Concert Band interpretation followed by Swing Tom Toms with multiple notation legend)

Tommy also includes his Permutation concept. He expanded on this in later life and his notations.

BaDaBoom

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