TOMMY ALDRIDGE

Southern-born Tommy Aldridge is an entirely self-taught drummer, originally inspired by Joe Morello’s solo in Take Five by the Brubeck Quartet. Tommy first taught himself with a book of rudiments, a pair of sticks, and a practice pad. He reflected, "I was fortunate, though didn’t think so at the time, that I didn’t have a full kit to begin on. I think that as young kids we all wants to be drummers because of the gear…We sit down behind it all and start flailing!" Learning to play was all about (often tedious) practice and, while drumming to Cream, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zepplin, he wore out the practice pad. Slowly but surely, he began acquiring a kit, piece by piece. Once the kit was complete, Tommy started playing a double bass. As he stated, "…there’s really no way you can play on one, what can be played with two."

Tommy started playing at small clubs and parties. An old friend called him to an audition, and he got a gig in Memphis with a band called Black Oak Arkansas. The deal went bad when he discovered that he couldn't easily leave the band. After finally splitting with the group, Tommy played with Pat Travers, Mars Crowley, and Pat Thrall for several years.

Tommy moved to London and started working with Gary Moore, who later introduced Tommy to Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoades. Nothing came out of the meeting, so Tommy returned to America. He remained there until Ozzy’s wife, Sharon, called Tommy and asked him to join Randy playing for Ozzy. Shortly after Randy’s death, Tommy left Ozzy and started jamming with Rudy Sarzo in Project Driver.

David Coverdale of Whitesnake offered Tommy a position with the band in the 1980s. Tommy recalled, "My years with Whitesnake have been the most exciting. Every show was sold out… It was a privilege and blessing to be part of it." After Whitesnake slowed down, Tommy started freelancing. However, he accepted that he "never had the motivation nor vocabulary to do the session thing," and his work has been minimal.

Tommy reflects most favorably on "the camaraderie and the 'equal billing' a band association affords." Tommy left Whitesnake for good in 2007 and started touring with Thin Lizzy.