Pro-Mark
Encyclopedia
Pro-Mark is a Houston
, Texas
-based American drumstick company owned by founder Herb Brochstein. It is a widely known stick company generally played in drum set, drum and bugle corps
and concert bands
.
s (Styx
) and Ringo Starr
(The Beatles
) for stage playing. Other autographed models are by Scott Johnson
, Benny Greb, Chris Adler, Marco Minnemann
, Dennis DeLucia, Jason Bonham
, Dom Howard, Joey Jordison
, Carter Beauford
(but he moved to Vic Firth
in 2011), Bill Bruford
, Jason Bittner
, Charlie Adams
, Jim Rupp, Neil Peart
, etc.
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
-based American drumstick company owned by founder Herb Brochstein. It is a widely known stick company generally played in drum set, drum and bugle corps
Drum and bugle corps (modern)
A drum and bugle corps, also known as a drum corps, is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, drum corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions...
and concert bands
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
.
History
Pro-Mark was founded in 1957 by percussion instructor and shop owner Herb Brochstein in Houston, Texas. It is the first company to introduce Japanese Shira Kashi white oak into the American market, and the only company to successfully market oak sticks in the United States. The wood provided for Pro-Mark is supplied by Japanese trader Tatsuo Kosaka. In recent years Pro-Mark has gone with the grind of environmentalism and now uses non-endangered wood and a "green" finishing process to make their sticks and manufacturing processes safer to the player and the environment.Notable products
Pro-Mark, like any other stick manufacturer, thrives off of endorsements and signature products from notable players. Such products as System Blues by the Blue Devils for field marching, and the Todd SuchermanTodd Sucherman
Todd Sucherman is a drummer who is best known for playing with Styx since 1996.Sucherman grew up in a musical family and followed in his father's footsteps by playing the drums. His father, Arnold J. Sucherman, was a doctor by day and a drummer by night, playing in the house band at the famed Chez...
s (Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
) and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
(The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
) for stage playing. Other autographed models are by Scott Johnson
Scott Johnson
Scott Johnson may refer to:In music:* Scott Johnson , American composer* Scott Johnson , instructor for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps* Scott Johnson , guitarist for Gin BlossomsIn sports:...
, Benny Greb, Chris Adler, Marco Minnemann
Marco Minnemann
Marco Minnemann is a German-born drummer, composer and multi-instrumentalist. He lives in Lake Elsinore, California.-Biography:...
, Dennis DeLucia, Jason Bonham
Jason Bonham
Jason John Bonham is an English drummer. Jason's parents are Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and his wife Pat Phillips. After his father's death in 1980, he has played with Led Zeppelin on different occasions, including the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London in...
, Dom Howard, Joey Jordison
Joey Jordison
Joey Jordison , is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work as the drummer for the nu metal band Slipknot. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8...
, Carter Beauford
Carter Beauford
Carter Anthony Beauford is an American drummer, percussionist, and founding member of Dave Matthews Band. He is known for his ability to adapt to a variety of genres, and both his ambidextrous and his open hand drumming styles. He plays the drums and sings backing vocals in the band...
(but he moved to Vic Firth
Vic Firth
Vic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company , a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets...
in 2011), Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
, Jason Bittner
Jason Bittner
Jason Bittner is the drummer for the American metal band Shadows Fall. He has won numerous awards including Modern Drummer Readers poll for #1 Up and Coming Drummer of 2004, and in 2005, #1 Best Recorded Performance for the Shadows Fall album The War Within, #1 Metal drummer #2 Clinician DRUM!...
, Charlie Adams
Charlie Adams (drummer)
Charlie Adams is an American drummer, percussionist, drum engineer, composer, music producer, and film producer. He formed the rock band Chameleon in the 1980s, and was known for his revolving, upside-down drum set. He has been drum lead for Yanni through nine major concert tours...
, Jim Rupp, Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
, etc.
Endorsers
- Neil PeartNeil PeartNeil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
- Jordan "Joe Fish" Ailshie
- Chris Adler
- Jarrod AlexanderJarrod AlexanderJarrod Alexander is an American drummer, who has played with many hardcore bands. Alexander currently drums for the band My Chemical Romance. He also drummed for The Suicide File, A Static Lullaby and most recently Dead Country.-Bands:...
- Paulo BaldiPaulo BaldiPaulo Baldi is an American rock drummer and percussionist from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently a member of Cake, Les Claypool's Fancy Band, Deadweight, The Faraway Brothers, and the Eric McFadden Experience....
- Frank BeardFrank Beard (musician)Frank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
- Rich Beddoe
- James SullivanJames SullivanJames Sullivan was a U.S. political figure.For his services as a lawyer defending land claims in what is now York County, Maine, in 1773 Sullivan was offered a portion within the tract...
- Jason BittnerJason BittnerJason Bittner is the drummer for the American metal band Shadows Fall. He has won numerous awards including Modern Drummer Readers poll for #1 Up and Coming Drummer of 2004, and in 2005, #1 Best Recorded Performance for the Shadows Fall album The War Within, #1 Metal drummer #2 Clinician DRUM!...
- Teddy CampbellTeddy CampbellTeddy Campbell is a gospel drummer. He is probably best known for being the drummer on the hit late night show, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.-Biography:...
- Peter CrissPeter CrissGeorge Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
- Abe CunninghamAbe CunninghamAbe Cunningham, , is an American musician, he is the drummer of the alternative metal band Deftones. He is known for his use of ghost notes and other technical drumming techniques.-Biography:...
- Dave LombardoDave LombardoDave Lombardo is a Cuban American heavy metal drummer best known for his work with American thrash metal band Slayer. He has performed with Slayer on seven albums, including their groundbreaking 1986 release Reign In Blood and their 2006 release Christ Illusion, for which he received critical praise...
- Mark Fantom
- Aaron GillespieAaron GillespieAaron Roderick Gillespie is an American musician, best known for being the former drummer and clean vocalist for the metalcore band Underoath, and the current lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock band The Almost...
- Billy GladstoneBilly GladstoneBilly Gladstone , born William Goldstein, was a Romanian-born New York drummer, percussionist, drum builder, inventor, and drum teacher who performed in New York theaters, including the Capitol Theatre and most famously Radio City Music Hall in the 1930s and 1940s.He was perhaps most famous in his...
- Dominic HowardDominic HowardDominic James "Dom" Howard , is the drummer for the English rock band Muse.-Early life:Howard was born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in England. When he was around 8 years old he moved with his family to Teignmouth, a small town in Devon. He began playing drums at about the age of 12, when he...
- Luke Anthony Johnson
- Scott JohnsonScott Johnson (percussionist)Scott Johnson is the current head drum instructor for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. When he was about four years old, he began to taking lessons from a drum instructor living in his area...
- Joey JordisonJoey JordisonJoey Jordison , is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work as the drummer for the nu metal band Slipknot. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8...
- Ray LuzierRay LuzierRaymond Lee "Ray" Luzier is an American drummer. He is currently the drummer of the band Korn, becoming a full-time member of the band in April 2009.-Life and career:...
- Mike PortnoyMike PortnoyMichael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
- Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
- Zac FarroZac FarroZachary Wayne Farro is an American musician and drummer of the bands Novel American and Half Noise. He is best known as the former drummer of the alternative rock band Paramore from its inception until 2010...