Ronnie Bedford was the drumming guru at my summer jazz camps during my high school years. He loved playing so much, he would clap his hands and laugh in between songs. He was incredibly inspiring and influential. Jazz camp was bittersweet for me, a kid from a town of 900 up in the mountains of nowhere. I saw what I was missing in a bigger city where students were privileged to have jazz drum teachers.
Ronnie left us in December of 2014, farewell to an exuberant musician who taught a generation. Take a listen to Ronnie hitting the skins.