Past Passenger Wednesday

My husband, Jim Marsella, played drums in his own band (called the "Neon Rainbow"..I think in the late 60's) while in high school in Detroit, and then went on to play in another band in local venues around the Detroit area clear up into his late 20's. Then work, marriage and children interfered and he gave up playing drums and focused on making a living and raising a family. He kept those drums for the next 20 years...moving them all over the country. A beautiful set of black Ludwig drums. Fast forward to 2006 when we went on our first "Oldies" Cruise and met Dick Richards - the 81 year old drummer for the Original Comets (from Bill Haley & the Comets fame!!!). We not only had the chance to see him in concert...we met him, and we were awe struck. Had breakfast with him, and lunch, and coffee once or twice. And he told Jim to get his drums out and "start practicing; you're never too old". And heck, Dick should know - right? So, Jim did get his drums out and started practicing.

And then, the following year on our next "Oldies" Cruise we met Tommy Scheckel, long time drummer for the Buckinghams - who were on the cruise that year and our friend, Dick Richards (Comets fame) was there too, Wow, a drummers dream, right?
Tommy Scheckel told Jim "get a coach Jim, I still take lessons". Joey D'Ambrosia, the Comets Saxophone player, told Jim the same thing, and of course Dick told him again, "Keep it up, Jim, you can do it again, you can't ignore a passion like that." Back in Phoenix and Jim is taking lessons and that really helped move him along that re-learning curve.
Now, Jim is playing in a local Doo-Wop band in Phoenix. They play for special dances and they played the stage at Harrahs Casino in Reno. He rehearses with them every Friday night. He's still working at a very challenging job so it gets hard to get that practice time in - but he does. And this past year - who is on the cruise again but Dick Richards, from the Comets - now 87 years young, and Tommy Scheckel who is now the knock-out drummer for Paul Revere and the Raiders. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE seeing these guys on the cruises. Jim is just in heaven to get to spend time with these two drumming icons. Guys that have been playing Rock 'n Roll a long time, and Dick was there when the name Rock 'n Roll came to be. It's just awesome that they stay on the ship the whole week and they are so friendly and easy to talk to and have truly become dear friends over the years. We had them both over to the house this past February along with the rest of the band when the Comets played in Phoenix.
Isn't is just amazing that a decision to go on a cruise just 6 years ago could lead to such an amazing result? My husband, the drummer, is friends with two legendary drummers who encouraged him and supported his efforts to return to the vocation he loves. Not work. For Jim, it's a passion and he loves every minute that he sits behind those drums and these "cruisers" helped get him back to playing those drums. It's kind of like magic.

submitted by Julie Marsella

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Keep Rockin'

Tammy Selee

Producer