Prince chooses a Chicago drummer for next tour

[chidrummer]

Just got word, yesterday, from my impeccable sources that the Mighty Purple One, Prince has asked Chicago-based, Hanna Ford to be the guest drummer for his upcoming gigs here in the Windy City.

Hanna's very young, but well-known within the drumming community here. I met her about three years ago and was blown away by her technique and musicality. She got formidable chops and front a very good rock band under her own name here.

Reportedly, Prince found her on YouTube, which I can believe well enough because Hanna has been posting her own videos [[shot mostly by her father) for a long time. Many of her clinics have also been posted. Her joining Prince has been in the works, undercover, for over 6 months. She's been bouncing back and forth to Minneapolis to jam with the New Power Generation and the word is just now being released to the public at large.

The Prince Nation is buzzing about Hanna's new gig. Most of them don't know her, but they're finding her videos:

http://prince.org/msg/7/386618?jump=61&pg=3

Her website hasn't posted anything yet, but I'm sure they'll get around to it soon. Meanwhile, Prince has moved shows he was planning to do in the Mini Apple to Chicago's United Center. The first one is on September 24. Early bird tickets went on today and the general public will get their shot starting on Thursday.

For those who've never seen Hanna, here's a shot of her I took at last winter's Vic's Drum Shop opening.



Check out her videos. Catch the show if you can. She is definitely up and coming and someone you should know soon.

[splanky]

She is bad, chi! Something about females playing drums just fascinates the mess outta me...Cindy Blackman, Teri Lynne Carrington, hell when Chaka Khan used to kick the traps
around in the middle of a set it thrilled me to the core!...