North has many talented seniors graduating in the spring. One of the talents graduating is Marsharea Sheppard and she would love to snare her passion for drumming!

Sheppard gained an interest in drumming five years ago and started playing the drums her freshman year of high school. She began practicing at her old school, which had a drum set on campus. When the drummer at her church, Amanda Stovall, discovered she was interested in learning how to play, Stovall started giving her weekly lessons. Stovall also performed gigs outside of the church. Sheppard explained, “During the school week, I would use the school’s drums, and on the weekend, the church’s.”

Sheppard received her first drum set about two years ago as a gift from a member of her church, Angela Keith. She expressed, “Sadly, I never got to play it much because my dad isn’t a big fan of the noise.” She has been saving up to buy an electric drum set so she “can play at home without bothering anyone.”

Drummers like Neil Sanderson and Andy Hurley inspired Sheppard to pick up drumming. She watched some of Sanderson’s drum solos and believed that “something just clicked” for her.

Her favorite bands include Slipknot, Korn, Three Days Grace, Fall Out Boy, Nirvana and System of a Down. Three Days Grace was the gateway band that got her into rock, and Slipknot introduced her to metal.

Sheppard’s favorite songs to play include: “Left Behind” by Slipknot, “Got the Life” by Korn, “The Rumbling” By SiM and “Lights and Sounds” by Yellowcard.

 “All of the songs have one thing in common; the drums are intricately played.” Sheppard continued, “The sounds and patterns of each song are unique and constantly change. The patterns of the snare, toms and cymbals make them enjoyable to play. When I first started practicing the songs, it was a challenge to get down some of the irregular beats, but that was the fun part for me.” Sheppard concluded, “It motivated me to get it down perfectly.”

Besides the drums, Sheppard can also play the clarinet and the piano. She said that she is “a long way from mastering the piano,” but still enjoys playing it. As for an instrument she would like to grasp in the future, she commented, “It would have to be the bass. It is the one instrument that I’ve always wanted to pick up but never got the chance to do so.”

Sheppard is not the only musician in her family. She has an older sister who plays the piano and guitar. “She was the first musician in the family,” Sheppard explained.

Sheppard went on to describe her post-graduation plans. “Rather than being a full-time musician once I graduate, I plan on going to college and majoring in something Horticulture or Environmental Science related. I want to expand my knowledge in that subject.” 

Sheppard is not in a band; however, Stovall is retiring, so she is stepping in as her replacement.

Click here to watch a short clip of Sheppard playing the drums. She hopes that “people will start giving more recognition to drummers because they are the backbone of all music.”