Glenn Kidd

Glenn got his first drum, simply a Ludwig snare for Christmas at the prime age of 4. He got the rest of the drum kit (an old Slingerland set) for his birthday the next year. He used to go his mother’s band practices and observe drummer "Mark Bereicci" for hours, admiring every drumstroke that he took. The name of the band was "The Lite & Lively Good Time Band" based out of Overland, MO. At age 6 Glenn was offered the opportunity to sit in with the band and play his first “live” song at the old Chain of Rocks Park. With that for inspiration, he continued practicing on his own, learning everything by ear.

His main influences of the time were Kiss, Eric Carman, Boston, Yess & Rush (essentially in that order). At age 10, Glenn fought to get into the band program at school, but was told he was too young. At the time he was playing drums in talent contests and routinely placing first. These were a source of more inspiration to excel after rejection by the school district. After another year of trying, he made the band roster in the Hazelwood School District. By Junior High, his main instrument was snare and timpani. Glenn filled in to help out orchestras and musicals for every event possible. He attended Hazelwood West High School where he was able to get into the advanced music program. He continued as the main timpanist, filled in for orchestras, became the main tri-tom player for marching band, played pit orchestra, which included timpani and drums for every musical they scheduled.

In 1985, he moved to Illinois, became center snare for their marching band, performed in pit orchestra and played timpani for the orchestra. By his senior year, he had the lead quad-tom position (where he wrote the parts), he continued to fill the timpani spot for the orchestra, took over the drum position for jazz band and was in charge of the percussion section for their advanced band program. It was then that he started offering teaching drums/percussion to new students in the Edwardsville area. Glenn continued on with the "Black Knights" (a drum corps out of Belleville) with a position on the snare line. Upon graduation from high school, Glenn was offered a position on the quin-tom line, but declined.

Glenn pursued a career in music. He attended SIU-Edwardsville for General Studies with an emphasis on Music Appreciation and Performance, with a backup curriculum of Accounting. While in college, he joined Musician Union Local #591 based in Alton. This allowed Glenn to play at the VFW and Eagles clubs with a well known group called "Neeman & Co.," as well as filling the drummer's position in pro-bono groups as needed by the union. Glenn joined a band called "Sierra" based in Highland. He played with them for four years. They were a classic rock/dance band that served mainly the Granite City/ Madison area for many years.

After "Sierra," Glenn got married and found his calling as a worship artist. He spent 9 years as a drummer under the direction of Dave Romoser at a church named Metro Community Church in Edwardsville. During that time he also became the lead drummer for two years with a ministry called "Nigh Of Praise," under the direction of Russ Barger of O’Fallon, Illinois. This was a movement of worship around the Metro-East area who focused on that aspect of praise. Glenn moved on with Dave Romoser to a church called Newsong Fellowship for two years where he eventually took leave as one of the leaders of worship to attend to family matters.

All of this culminated with Glenn finding and winning a position to help out "The Excelerators." A group with some common interests in that all band members also work with music ministries on Sundays. As Glenn puts it, "It is great to fill-in for a great drummer/vocalist (Jorge Pereira) in a band filled with not only the intelligence, but a desire to perform at a higher level than most cover groups. It is a lot of fun to be a part of a group who focus on the enjoyment of the crowd and that pleasure is quite symbiotic. Both seem to feed and grow off each other enjoying & dancing to music of the 50’s through today."

Wes' take on Glenn goes like this: "I can't believe we found this level of a drummer to do fill in work. He's got all the goods. He's solid and in a very short amount of time was able to absorb our entire show, which is substantial when you include songs like "Aqualung" where the riffs are as numerous as rice in a bowl. Even with all his prowess, Glenn does not overplay. He is tasteful and accurate in his role as a cover-band drummer. He seems to be a pretty decent guy too. These qualities are rare in combination and oh so appreciated!"

One update to this is Jorge decided to ask Glenn if he would take on the role as permanat drummer for The Excelerators. Glenn gladly took on this role and the band has been able to thrive with Glenn holding down the meter for the group.