Hmmm, (Hrrr?) I missed this post going around. I wanted the drums in school, but they were taken. You know the educational theory: "We'll let you play what fits our orchestra plan, not yours!" so I got handed the Coronet (4 valve trumpet). That lasted one year, or less, then I let someone else graciously agree to fulfill the band seating chart, or maybe the director made the choice, I don't remember. If he did, I concur with it.
In my teens I bought my own drums and went at it without benefit of the formal education. I was thrashing away at the drum set one afternoon when a knock came upon my apartment door. Expecting an irate neighbor, it turned out to be a guy visiting his girl friend that heard my efforts. We struck up a friendship and he turned out to playing drums full time locally with a lounge duo. We hung out quite a bit. I sat in at times at his club and at various jam sessions. He was the nicest person I have ever met, and, extremely rare in a drummer, very modest and a gentleman. I dated his sister for a time, but another story. I went on to play in several country bands (this
is Kansas) for about ten or twelve years. I met my SO through one of the bands. Family and job pressures, and the incursion of the dreaded disk jockeys in clubs putting real musicians out of work caused me to hang up the sticks. Later on I lost a strategic finger-tip, and I sold the kit. Oh, well.
I never played in natural dress. I wonder how that would have effected my playing. Probably, it would have resulted in improved running abilities in heels! >

Susan Kay