Devon Glenn

It was clear from the start that Devon Glenn was meant to be a drummer. As a toddler growing up in the outskirts of Boston, he'd abscond with his mom's pots and pans and bang on them for hours. On family vacations, he'd sneak out of the hotel room in his pajamas to watch musicians playing outside, staying until his parents found him and returned him to bed. By age 10, he wanted his own drum set, but his father nixed that idea. So Devon had no choice but to practice on a friend's kit elsewhere every day after school. His parents, Tina and Edward, began to realize that if they ever wanted to see their son again, they'd have to buy a drum set for the home - so they did.

Two years after this wise investment, the 12-year-old Devon had an epiphany at a Cheap Trick concert. He suddenly knew he belonged onstage as a professional musician. He looked up to other hot bands, such as KISS, for further inspiration. Making it to the big time like these stars would be his fate, and he devoted his life from then on to achieving that goal.

Around that time, a band called Apocalypse invited Devon to join them. What a cool gig for a young kid - to perform with a group of high-school age guys at parties and proms. Devon's stint with Apocalypse lasted until he was a sophomore in high school. His next band was called The New Deal, which turned into The Shades.

Big decisions ... bigger destiny

Upon graduating high school, Devon faced the classic "what do I want to do with my life" decision. Yet for him, it was more difficult than simply declaring a major - he had to opt between the potentially hard-knock musician's life and the reliable college path. And you can imagine which direction his parents and his sister, Janet, were encouraging him to go.

So Devon was off to culinary arts school, a natural progression from the cooking jobs he'd held to maintain his drum set. But college couldn't take his mind off music, so he split and went home with the intention of devoting himself entirely to a drumming career.

This did not go over well with his family. To keep the peace, he worked "respectable" jobs by day while tenaciously pursuing his musical dreams at night - often at the price of losing all but two hours of sleep. First, Devon opened a restaurant with his cousin, Mark. A year later, he switched gears and learned to style hair, much to the pleasure of clients of the John Dellaria and Visuals salons. Devon achieved great success during his five years in hair - earning a spot on the Paul Mitchell Styling Team, touring the country to teach classes for Mega Hair, and fielding offers to assume his own salon.

However, his heart remained in his drums. Eventually, he cut his hours in the salon and devoted more time to playing sessions for various Boston-area bands - edging more closely to his dream.

Pounding drums ... and the pavement

Finally, it was time to eliminate all distractions and dedicate his whole heart and soul to music. He packed it up and moved to Los Angeles. He spent his first year making connections, then landed a job in a cover/show band called Stinger. Devon performed with Stinger in major casinos in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and Laughlin for a comfortable year. But he knew that further risks would be necessary for him to really break into the business and stretch to reach his potential.

So he returned to Los Angeles. He hit the ground running, auditioning nonstop for a year to find the band that would be his ultimate match. He joined musicians' network services and exhausted every outlet he could imagine. Then he came up with a unique new way to prove his mettle: he invested the time to learn several of a band's own songs, then videotaped himself playing them. This method, which clearly showcased Devon's expertise and commitment, caught the attention of Joshua Todd's producer, who urged the singer to give Devon a call. A brief live audition later, Devon was invited into Sparrow - a band that is now known worldwide as Buckcherry.

Full circle ... and continued growth

The rest is history - in the making. Buckcherry's first album yielded critical acclaim - for example, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance and the award for Best International Newcomer by Kerrang! Magazine. For his own excellence, Devon has appeared in several drum magazines and is sponsored by the finest drum suppliers - Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Drum Workshop Drums, and Vic Firth Drumsticks. Other sponsors include Adidas, Puma, Lip Service clothing, and Dita sunglasses.

The dreams of the 12-year-old Devon are coming true. Imagine if he had known, at that age, that he would work hard enough to actually tour with KISS and other inspirations. Or that kids would stand in awe at his own shows, vowing to someday be as great as Devon Glenn.

Written by Pauline Greene

Find out more about Devon Glenn at his official website

http://www.devonglenn.com