What 100-year-old women drummer got acknowledged by Zildjian Drums on her birthday? The fabulous Viola Smith, billed as “the world’s fastest girl drummer!” November 29, 2012:
“We celebrate the 100th birthday of Zildjian’s longest running endorser, Viola Smith. Anyone who watched entertainment reels in the 1930s and ’40s might know Viola. A musical pioneer, she was one of the first female professional drummers, gaining popularity during World War II. . . From 1938 to 1941 Viola flourished in a highly acclaimed all female band that she and her sister Mildred organized, called The Coquettes.”
Read more about her fascinating career here and read a story about her birthday celebration here. And check out Viola at her peak in this video of The Coquettes in 1939. [Subscribers: click on the post title to see the video on the blog.]
