OCT. 21 I DIXON I CLINIC
Gregg Bissonette, Dixon Partner Up For Retail Store Tour
Gregg Bissonette, of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, partnered with Dixon Drums to put on a clinic tour of drum retailers in Northern California from Sept. 10-14.

"Gregg's clinic is incredibly engaging," said Jim Uding, Dixon brand manager. "He immediately connects with the audience and gets everyone involved with clap-a-long patterns and sing-a-long drum solos."

Tour stops for the clinic included: Bentley's Drum Shop in Fresno, Gelb Music in Redwood City, Ingram & Brauns of Pleasonton, Skip's Music in Sacramento and Bananas At Large in San Rafael.

Although the clinics generally followed the same format, Bissonette adapted his presentation to the individual character and clientele of each venue.

"He answered everyone's questions, from the kids, to the guys who are pros and want to know what it's like [for Bissonette] to work as a full-time musician," Don Frank, store manager of Gelb Music, exclusively told Music Inc.

Playing to a full house at Gelb Music, Bissonette "covered everything from playing techniques, to the music business in general, to his own experiences — auditioning for David Lee Roth, playing with Ringo, Maynard Ferguson — even digging back to when he was at school at North Texas State."

When asked how Bissonette's clinic compared to others, Frank said, "It was one of the best we've ever had, and we've done quite a few."