By Dave Babbitt – Special to the Sydenham Current
Like most, the majority of my friendships have developed from the activities that I am involved in, so it should come as no surprise that a large number of my closest friends come from my involvement in the world of music.
This week, I’d like to introduce readers to a very special person whom I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside for several decades now.
I first encountered Shawn Tasker as a student in one of my music classes quite early in my career at WDSS. Shawn arrived in my music class already considerably skilled in making a drum kit sing, able to keep a rock-steady tempo, and possessed a thirst to learn like no one else that I’ve encountered.
He got his first drum kit at the age of 8 years old and says that his first paid gig was when his grandmother would put dollar bills on his cymbals. Shawn recalls playing along to songs by the likes of Kim Mitchell and Robert Palmer at late evening house parties that his father once hosted.
While Shawn has only had a couple of formal drum lessons in his life (specifically to learn how to play a Texas shuffle), his desire to learn and constantly improve is his strength, as I can readily attest to.
The first real “band” he ever played in was with me in his high school days. He played in all three levels: Junior and Senior Concert bands as well as Stage Band, the apex of most music programs.
I’m well aware of the “band nerd” (or geek) labels that many teens would place on those who played in a school band, but while Shawn says that he was made fun of by his peers for playing in the band instead of participating in sports, his quick wit would always cause him to inform those who dared to be critical that “my team is bigger, and we almost always win our events.”
While a gifted timekeeper, his sense of humor, musical creativity, constant desire to improve, and kind heart endear him to everyone.
He began playing with Back Stage Pass at the age of 17 at the Kingsway Hotel in Chatham but due to his age, had to stay on the opposite side of the bar in order to be in there.
After he left college, Shawn was invited to join Dan Knight & Rebel Heart and toured in the United States and Canada, often opening for major touring artists such as Diamond Rio, Ricochet, and Ricky Van Shelton.
It was while working with Dan Knight that Shawn was encouraged to develop his skills in singing backing harmonies, something he continues to do in the current bands he plays with.
With Rebel Heart, he toured places such as Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, and the Dakotas, often detouring to visit iconic sites such as Mount Rushmore. His touring was an education.
In playing with Dan Knight and Rebel Heart, Shawn was introduced to the incredible guitar skills of Tony Bandoni, a guitarist idolized by many practicing the craft.
Shawn eventually came off of the road to settle down and has since teamed up with Jeff Black, and once again Tony Bandoni, to form a power trio known as the Twang Buddies who are focused on playing things many bands don’t attempt, or have simply forgotten about.
Shawn eventually also joined a band called Snakebite based out of Bothwell. The band recorded a CD and their single “All Night Long” made it to number 81 on the Canadian Country Music Charts. Shortly afterward, they were recognized by the London Music Awards as the Best Country Band.
Snakebite retired during the COVID lockdowns which opened up Shawn’s schedule to work on other musical projects.
I had just started the Wallaceburg Concert Band and Shawn came on board, much to my delight and the delight of everyone who has the pleasure of working with him.
Shawn doesn’t refer to himself as a “drummer,” but as a “percussionist” and unlike many drummers I’ve worked with over the years, Shawn has the ability to read sheet music and is therefore highly valuable to our band as there are a lot more parts to cover other than simply the drum kit.
When I re-formed the Brass Factory Big Band, Shawn was a natural to join us. Once again, his skills but even more importantly his desire to learn and attitude have proven to be invaluable to the Brass Factory.
Drumming is far different in a big band than most other music forms. While still setting the tempo, the drummer’s role is more in punctuation than it is beating time on the kick drum.
I’ve mentioned in this column before that if one ever hears a drummer utter the words “I drive the band,” run the other way! Run-of-the-mill drummers “drive” a band. Great drummers know where they fit in and are part of a rhythm “section” that drives the band.
Aside from the drummer, the rhythm section includes the bass player, keyboard player, and guitarist who are required to work in harmony, setting the groove for the powerful horn section.
That’s exactly how Shawn works, and why I love working with him. He knows where he fits in and brings a work ethic to the table, not an attitude.
He told me that his approach is that “it’s not about me, it’s not about the guitar, or the bass. It’s about the song.”
He once had the opportunity to attend a drum clinic by world-class drummer Greg Bissonette (currently playing with Ringo Starr’s All-Star Band) who left him with some thoughts that he holds dear.
Greg’s words: “If you can hold a beat, if you can sing, and you can get along with people, you will never be out of a gig. Being a professional isn’t just being paid to perform; it’s how you present yourself to the industry. Nobody likes a know-it-all and taking constructive criticism is a talent in itself.” Those words still ring in Shawn’s ears.
Aside from our WCB, the Brass Factory, and the Twang Buddies, Shawn continuously plays with Jeff Black and Rob Kirkham in a band called Neon Rain, a band that has been around for over 20 years and are headed to the East Coast to play in the Fox Mountain Music Festival this spring, as well as the Hank Snow Music Festival.
In asking how he manages his involvement in so many bands, Shawn told me, “I have a rule that allows me not to spread myself too thin or commit to something I cannot honor. If I can’t give at least 80% of my time to a project I won’t commit. My scheduling never overlaps where it can’t be altered and I’m fortunate to work with people who understand that.”
I am so fortunate to be able to work with Shawn. His skills, his work ethic, his desire to learn, his acceptance of constructive criticism for the sake of the music, and his sense of humor always brighten everyone’s day.
He says, “Drummers don’t get the respect they deserve. They are the butt of a lot of music jokes, but my ideology is that if it wasn’t for drummers, people couldn’t dance, or… we’d all be listening to bluegrass!”
Hopefully, you can figure that one out.
