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A Musical Life: Jackson Graham

Amanda Assaf

Jackson Graham is a drummer/percussionist studying Music Performance at Wichita State University. He performs in a variety of musical projects, including the solo drum and keyboard project Information Welfare.

“I cannot remember what made me want to be a drummer. I honestly cannot. I always liked music like Michael Jackson and R&B and pop music as a kid. So I can only assume it came from that. I also took dance lessons as a kid. Which I think helped me in rhythm and beats and stuff.

I started taking lessons from this teacher in Hutchinson—where I grew up, Ginger Zyskowski. I took lessons from her for four or five years maybe. From fourth grade to seventh grade, something like that. I just wanted to be John Bonham. She did a great job of that—of molding me into a rock drummer. But she was also trying to push marimba and those classical instruments. I was not into it. I refused. I had no interest. I don’t necessarily regret that but it’s funny how, all these years later, I’ve come back around to it.”

Jedd Beaudoin is host/producer of the nationally syndicated program Strange Currency. He has also served as an arts reporter, a producer of A Musical Life and a founding member of the KMUW Movie Club. As a music journalist, his work has appeared in Pop Matters, Vox, No Depression and Keyboard Magazine.