BEATing Breast Cancer w/April Samuels :: MMTBP Music City Drum Show Special Episode

Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast

A Middle Tennessee Business Podcast....subscribe/follow/rate/review at www.mmtbp.com

The Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast went remote in a *very* mostly way. We were invited to have a booth at the Music City Drum Show and talk to several drummers, entrepreneurs and manufacturers about the various facets of the music business.

In this episode, I sat down with April Samuels with Breast Cancer can STICK It, and she’s a musical entrepreneur of the highest degree!

April picked up her first pair of sticks at age five at Nadine's Music Manor and was enthralled in private drum lessons at the same store by the age of 11 studying under former Bo Diddley/Ice Capades/Fifth Dimension drummer Warren White. April navigated her teens by playing in garage bands with her guitarist brother, Todd. Later, she expanded her study when she majored in music at the University of North Texas.

As she developed her musical style, April co-wrote several songs used in episodes on the show "Outward Bound" on the Discovery Channel. April has since performed, recorded and/or written with 30+ different groups including an album with Matthew Johnson (formerly of Great White), two groups with David Harbour (formerly of Michael Harris, David T. Chastain, King Diamond), two groups with Dave Hineman (formerly of Solinger) and a group with Joey C. Jones.

Since 2012 (aside from a year hiatus from April 2021-June 2022) Samuels has performed up to 120 shows a year across Texas and Louisiana with the 80s spoof-hair-band Metal Shop under the pseudonym "Crash Gordon" . Highlights during her tenure included headlining multiple times at the House of Blues locations in Dallas, Houston and New Orleans, as well as playing for over 15,000 attendees at a San Antonio Spurs watching game at AT&T Center.

April's musical interests don't stop there.

She ran a booking agency, 100 Proof Entertainment from 1989-2010, where she booked over 50 different regional bands - handling as many bands as 13 at one time. Because of this interest, she attended several seminars, exhibits, and music industry functions through the Dallas Songwriters Association, Austin Songwriters Group, South by Southwest the Sony R&B Workshop, and NAMM to name a few.

April has also worked for Planet Dallas Studios (Dallas, TX) in the Publishing Department, worked as a salesperson for Texas Beat Magazine (Austin, TX), and was the assistant booking agent for the former club, The Basement (Dallas, TX).

Currently, Samuels plays full-time with Metal Shop as well as Rebel Yell - The Tribute to Billy Idol, is the touring drummer for Just Like P!nk - The P!NK Experience, plays with two original bands (49th Vibration and her recently revived band BULLITT originally established in 2006), as well as playing fundraisers with her cover band, The Breast Cancer Can Stick It! Band. April was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of breast cancer in 2010 and immediately combined her passion for drums with her personal fight against cancer by founding her nonprofit organization Breast Cancer Can Stick It! Foundation, Inc.. April has been cancer-free since her mastectomy in November of 2010. Through performing shows, collaborating with celebrities for fundraisers, guest appearances and speaking events, April rocks year round both behind and in front of the drums.

Follow April:

https://www.aprilsamuels.com/

https://www.breastcancercanstic