Sixty years ago this month, a boy named Gary Astridge knew nothing about The Beatles. The 7-year-old was celebrating his grandmom’s birthday with his family in Buffalo, New York, when someone realized ...

Percussion instruments ; drums ; "Monster" bass drums for advertising in parades , concerts , and dance halls ; foot pedals ; bells ; xylophones and marimbas ...

The Ludwig family (no relation, as far as I know) emigrated from Germany to Chicago in 1897, moving into a small home on the west side. The father was a professional musician who played trombone and ...