Pals put ‘heirloom’ drum kit back in maker’s hands
Sherry Lucas, The Clarion-Ledger 11:26 p.m. CST November 27, 2014
Beloved metro Jackson drummer Joe Partridge Jr. was gifted with a set he’d made nearly 18 years ago, as pals pulled together in a good deed, for a good-deed doer.
This was the drum set that got away.
Joe Partridge Jr. of Clinton, a custom drum maker and high-end furniture craftsman, had last seen it when he’d finished it, signing his name plus “1-97” to mark the date and watching it beat a path out of his life. For good, he thought.
Fast forward to a couple months ago. He got a call from a friend at Lakeland Music when it wound up there.
Week of [a “Ringo Starr”] drum clinic, [Bill] Richardson and Matt Brennan, a drummer and a long-time pal of Partridge’s.., were texting. The conversation turned to those drums….
[Richardson said], “…Matt was real quiet… Then…it was like an angel on my shoulder — said, ‘Do it. Give him the drums.'”
[Matt’s] been a co-worker of Partridge’s…. “We became friends because he has the heart of a teacher. … He’s just a kind soul,” sharing his knowledge about wood working and drum repair.
Richardson and Brennan kept the gift a secret till the final song of the drum clinic.
“A great moment for a great guy,” said Denny Burkes, who caught the emotional reaction — shock, tears, hugs — on video, ” ‘Top Secret’ Mojoe Kit for Joe Partridge’ on Youtube.
Days later, Partridge still was blown away by the generosity of Richardson, Brennan, his friends.
“There was never a set that I made that I really wanted as badly as this one,” [Partridge said.]
