I was born February 27th. 1961 in Louisville Kentucky. Before I was 2, we
moved to Lexington Kentucky. My mother was Margaret (Peggy) Cowgill
Davis and Father was Robert T. Davis. My mother was a music teacher and
Alto Soloist for the Lexington Singers and sang for many Church choirs and
my father was a Tenor soloist and a great Clarinetist and later played for the
Detroit Symphony and then went to work as a sound engineer for Paramount
Pictures in Ca. He was involved in the first filming of the movie Jaws. At age 5
my mother and father divorced and my mom later married Dr. Edward Frank
Counts.
My step father was the lowest bass in the Lexington Singers and sat first
chair French Horn in college. I came from a very musical family. I was born
Mark T. Davis and my step father adopted my brother and I and our name
became Counts.
My first vocal Solo was in a play in first Grade, age 6. I took piano lessons
early on and switched to Trombone then Saxophone and then Trumpet for 3
years. In fifth grade I switched to French horn and started singing for the
Christ Church Episcopal Men and Boy's choir in Lexington. While singing for
that choir, I attended 3 Royal Schools of Church music. One was in
Canterbury England. I had the opportunity to sing and train with a Choir from
Scotland and two Choirs from England and one Choir from Michigan. My
younger brother, Paul Counts still sings for that choir today. On my 9th
birthday my mother bought me my first drums. I quit playing French horn and
got more serious about drumming.
I never had a drum lesson or even attended a seminar until 2006. I learned
much like a lead guitar player learns. I stole licks from every drummer that I
have every tried to play. Combine them all and we say that we developed our
own style
Today I am playing for a Christian Church playing Christian Rock. At age 47,
I feel that I am as good as or better than I have ever been. I have gotten
involved in a drummer forum called ”The Drummer Café. I have also started
taking custom drum lessons for the first time in my life from a drummer
named Bart Elliott. Hopefully I can keep getting better.
I met an IT guy that has become a great friend and also my web page designer
named Craig Gosselin. My web site is www.thenuttydrummer.com. Craig
is a guitar player himself and plays an awesome Breed Love acoustic. He is
into more jazz style music but has been very supportive of my musical
projects.
Dennis Kidd and I have formed a great band with a great bass player named
Greg Harrod. All three of us are capable of singing lead vocals so the
harmonies are very good. We have been playing together as a three man band
and we have also been jamming with other people. I am now more involved in
playing Christian Music and feel that it where my passion really is now. I
want to thank all of the musicians and friends that have put up with me and
supported me over the years. I know that I am a perfectionist and more
serious than some. Jamming is fun but to be a good band takes practice and
homework.
I still have several sayings that I am going to stick with!!!
People do what they want to do.
You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and It is
not about me or you, it is about the music.
Thank You All,
Mark T. Counts
The Nutty Drummer
moved to Lexington Kentucky. My mother was Margaret (Peggy) Cowgill
Davis and Father was Robert T. Davis. My mother was a music teacher and
Alto Soloist for the Lexington Singers and sang for many Church choirs and
my father was a Tenor soloist and a great Clarinetist and later played for the
Detroit Symphony and then went to work as a sound engineer for Paramount
Pictures in Ca. He was involved in the first filming of the movie Jaws. At age 5
my mother and father divorced and my mom later married Dr. Edward Frank
Counts.
My step father was the lowest bass in the Lexington Singers and sat first
chair French Horn in college. I came from a very musical family. I was born
Mark T. Davis and my step father adopted my brother and I and our name
became Counts.
My first vocal Solo was in a play in first Grade, age 6. I took piano lessons
early on and switched to Trombone then Saxophone and then Trumpet for 3
years. In fifth grade I switched to French horn and started singing for the
Christ Church Episcopal Men and Boy's choir in Lexington. While singing for
that choir, I attended 3 Royal Schools of Church music. One was in
Canterbury England. I had the opportunity to sing and train with a Choir from
Scotland and two Choirs from England and one Choir from Michigan. My
younger brother, Paul Counts still sings for that choir today. On my 9th
birthday my mother bought me my first drums. I quit playing French horn and
got more serious about drumming.
I never had a drum lesson or even attended a seminar until 2006. I learned
much like a lead guitar player learns. I stole licks from every drummer that I
have every tried to play. Combine them all and we say that we developed our
own style
Today I am playing for a Christian Church playing Christian Rock. At age 47,
I feel that I am as good as or better than I have ever been. I have gotten
involved in a drummer forum called ”The Drummer Café. I have also started
taking custom drum lessons for the first time in my life from a drummer
named Bart Elliott. Hopefully I can keep getting better.
I met an IT guy that has become a great friend and also my web page designer
named Craig Gosselin. My web site is www.thenuttydrummer.com. Craig
is a guitar player himself and plays an awesome Breed Love acoustic. He is
into more jazz style music but has been very supportive of my musical
projects.
Dennis Kidd and I have formed a great band with a great bass player named
Greg Harrod. All three of us are capable of singing lead vocals so the
harmonies are very good. We have been playing together as a three man band
and we have also been jamming with other people. I am now more involved in
playing Christian Music and feel that it where my passion really is now. I
want to thank all of the musicians and friends that have put up with me and
supported me over the years. I know that I am a perfectionist and more
serious than some. Jamming is fun but to be a good band takes practice and
homework.
I still have several sayings that I am going to stick with!!!
People do what they want to do.
You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and It is
not about me or you, it is about the music.
Thank You All,
Mark T. Counts
The Nutty Drummer
| Mark Counts Now and Then Biography |
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