What Readers are Saying about The Drummer Drives! Everybody Else Rides by Barbara Brabec

“Well written, lovingly crafted”

“As an old friend of Harry’s, I found this book to be an excellent presentation of his life and times, one that put in focus for me the real Harry. He rarely spoke of his personal life in our contacts, which were usually all about drumming and music. I never knew he had been married before or had a daughter from that marriage, and I never knew of his roles as an entrepreneur. All of these were revealed in this well written and lovingly crafted book.I laughed at Harry’s humor and cried when I read of his final illness and passing. I love the book’s title, which is so appropriate to his life.”
- Doug MacLeod, bass drummer for the Plymouth Community Band (MI)

“A remarkable book”

“Barbara Brabec has written a remarkable book. After reading it you will feel that you have been fortunate to meet and know an extraordinary musician and an incredible man.

“It is fascinating, unsparingly personal, inspiringly honest, and yet it is not just a tribute to the man. It is a history, full of insight, into the classical and popular music scene and the personnel dominating it during those years. It has an objectivity that musicians will appreciate, and in which aspiring musicians will find an eye-opening and perhaps as yet undiscovered depth and awareness of the art. I wish I’d had it to assign to my university students contemplating their future careers in music.

“I laughed. I cried. The book is full of true sentiment, clearly portraying Barbara and Harry’s long marriage, both of their careers, and the enduring love and faith that saw them through the highs and terrible lows. I caught up on all the years Harry and I were not in touch. Yes, I lived through those same early formative years; yes, I was the girlfriend who sat at the table at school dances while her date played drums in the band, but all the way through the book I felt that I was sharing a conversation with an old friend. Barbara and Harry were a matched set, and Harry lives on.”
- Ruth S. Edwards, pianist and teacher

“Will tug on your heartstrings”

“This book will interest readers quickly because of the many various jobs Harry Brabec had as a professional musician and principal percussionist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, not to mention the diverse places where he and his wife Barb lived and worked together during their 44 years of married life. Even if you had never met Harry, you’ll feel that you had because of this book and the stories of him and his wonderful sense of humor.

“As you continue reading this book, you’ll be introduced to their beloved dog Ginger. The love they both shared for their pet was very clear and an important driving force in their lives.Being a pet owner myself, it was at this point that the story became alive for me; it became more than a chronicle of Harry’s lifetime professional accomplishments; the emotional side began to show and the story began to remind me of the book and movie Marley and Me.As one pet owner to all others, I believe you’ll react the same way as I did. Both stories will tug on your heartstrings in so many similar ways.

“Finally, these memoirs are a personal testimony from Harry’s loving wife Barbara as witness to the life of this man, this musician, her husband, her friend, the love of her life, and their life together. ”
- Mary Ellen Thomas