Buddy Hibbard, Drums, Percussion and Vocals

My musical background and tastes are as diverse as my upbringing. I was raised in a military family and have traveled half way around the world.

My musical interest began around age five when I lived in Madrid Spain. We didn't have television so I sat on the floor in front of my parents' stereo and listened to their albums. I listened to music by artists like Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Perry Como, and Patty Paige. I was more interested in the bands than the singers, especially the saxophone which was then and still is my favorite instrument. My parents bought me a saxophone when I was in the fifth grade so I could start beginner band at school. After the first week the band director asked if anyone would be interested in playing drums since there were ten saxophones and one drummer (go figure) so I took one for the team and moved to the drums

My first "performance" was in the seventh grade for the school talent show. I played Wipe Out and won first place. It was during the late Sixties I developed my love for music by Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Led Zepplin,and Cream, thanks to my sister Kathi. She had the best albums and I would try to play along with them on my drums in the basement. I moved to Wetumpka in 1971 where I joined the Elmore County Band in high school. It was so cool as I was in the marching, concert, lab, and stage bands and got to play the whole spectrum of music. One of my dreams was to march in the Sound of The South at Troy State University. So in 1977 in my sophomore year of college I transferred to Troy so I could march in the "Sound".

Our drum line was considered one of the top five in the country.

In 1978 I had my first tour of duty with Mark Fair and Danny Raines. We played with Steve Maness and Jim Cullington in a group called Lickin' It. We played at the Rusty Nail, Coaches Corner, some arts and crafts festivals, and the very first Jubilee in Montgomery. After that I was somewhat out of the music scene until Danny asked me to come and sit in on some of the Fish On Wheels practices.

Before I knew it I bought a new set of drums and I'm having the most fun I've ever had playing music.