December 3rd, 2009 — Tony Royster Jr., Cora Coleman-Dunham, Thomas Lang, Jerome Flood II, and Longineu "LP" Parsons to perform at the Drum-Off Regional Finals

Come see the nation's top undiscovered drummers in the nation compete for the chance to move on to the grand finals and the title of Drum-Off champion! Regional Finals will be held at five Guitar Center stores from across the country: Guitar Center Hollywood, Brooklyn, Houston, Hallandale, and Arlington Heights. Each regional final promises to be a must see event with top artists in the drum community performing and judging, plus a special Roland V-Drum showcase. Click on the poster for location details.

November 9th, 2009 — Tickets now on sale for Drum-Off Grand Finals

Guitar Center announced today that Tommy Lee and the Street Drum Corps' Frank Zummo will present "Bezerk" - an exclusive project commissioned by Guitar Center, featuring some of today's top drummers and artists - as part of the upcoming Drum-Off Grand Finals, taking place January 8, 2010 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. Artists performing in "Bezerk" include Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Matt Sorum (Guns 'N Roses, Velvet Revolver), José Pasillas (Incubus), DJ Aero, Sully Erna (Godsmack), Jay Weinberg, BANG! and others to be announced. Hosted by Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), this historic evening will also include a very special tribute to John Bonham by Jason Bonham, along with an exclusive collaborative performance by Danny Carey (Tool) and Brann Dailor (Mastodon).

These all-star drummers will all come together on one stage to celebrate the night's main event: performances by the top five undiscovered drummers in the nation, who will compete in front of a capacity crowd and a panel of celebrity judges to see who will win a prize package worth more than $40,000 and the title of "Guitar Center Drum-Off Champion" - the nation's top undiscovered drummer. Guitar Center will also induct drum icons Billy Cobham and John Bonham into Guitar Center's Drum Legends as part of the evening's festivities.

Tickets for the show are only $10, and are on sale now at LiveNation.com.

October 26th, 2009 - Congratulations 2009 Drum-Off Store Winners!

Catch these fine drummers at the District Finals, Thursday, November 5th as they try to make it one step closer to Drum-Off Champion!

Dawud Aasiya-Bey - Alta Loma, CA Chuck Gullens - Van Nuys, CA Victor Vanacore - Oxnard, CA Richard Sandak - Valencia, CA Jeremy Brooks - Lomita, CA Troy Molsberry - Carlsbad, CA Isaac Murillo - National City, CA Manny Lizardo - Norwalk, CA Anthony Sheriff - Los Angeles, CA Aric Improta - Fullerton, CA John Brook Emelio - Sun Valley, CA Ramon Michel - Whittier, CA Lonnie Sumrall - Menifee, CA Jorge Galvan - Palmdale, CA Michael Davila - Desert Hot Springs, CA Kevin Smith - Indio, CA Forrest Rice - Rancho Cucamonga, CA Nicholas Sturz - Tehachapi, CA Al Serrato - Temple City, Ca Edward Murray 3rd - Visalia, CA John Sotelo - Clovis, CA Alexander Lee Warner - Reno, NV Joaquim Greve - San Francisco, CA Timothy Duffy - Morgan Hill, CA Jesus Garcia - San Jose, CA Carlin Johnson - Oakland, CA Clarence Lewis - Concord, CA Larry Belton Jr. - Sacramento, CA Alex Bent - Escalon, CA Anthony Salazar - Folsom, CA Michael McGrath - Henderson, NV Tyler Wunder - Las Vegas, NV Jeffrey Hall - Phoenix, AZ Michael Soucy - Phoenix, AZ Jonathon Rodriguez - Tucson, AZ Daniel F Radel Jr - Phoenix, AZ Syr Mitchell - Avondale, AZ Matthew P. De La O - Albuquerque, NM Carlos Ramirez - Canutillo, TX Robert Villega - Irving, TX Jon Newman - Grand Prairie, TX Ben Croucher - Dallas, TX Ryan Brown - Sherman, TX James Dunn - Forth Worth, TX James Canada Jr. - Tulsa, OK Brandon Maddex - Oklahoma City, OK John Richard Puga - Odessa, TX Salatiel Monge - Amarillo, TX Jared Lewis - Lewisville, TX Samuel Smith - Centerton, AR Kenyon Chatman - Houston, TX Marvan E. Alexander - Houston, TX Ronald Dorsey Jr - Houston, TX Brian Foster - Austin, TX Trevin Thurman - Rockport, TX Joshua Lee Cardenas - Austin, TX Mason Macias - San Antonio, TX Lee Rodriguez - McAllen, TX Jose Santan - Laredo, TX Michael Escobedo - Brownsville, TX Jeremiah Lee Branson - Orange, TX Kortney Dondell - Killeen, TX Louie Ruiz - Caldwell, Id Daniel Carrillo - Lakewood, CO Ryan Forbes Maskewitz - Boulder, CO Michael Mosteller - Denver, CO Desmond Washington - Colorado Springs, CO David G. Noller - Howard, CO Casey Glass - Loveland, CO Robert Tinney - Sandy, UT Michael L Lomax - Kaysville, UT Jharis A. Yokley - St. Louis, MO Alexander Eckhoff - St. Charles, MO Bruce Dean Walker III - Kansas City, KS John Anderson - Springfield, MO Tyrone Jennings - E. St. Louis, IL Seth Curl - Sioux Falls, SD Jason Carroll - Wichita, KS Johandy Urena - Shawnee, KS Bret Dlouhy - Lincoln, NE Conrad Real - Seattle, WA Paul Stoot - Everett, WA Nick Pierce - Tacoma, WA Aaron Bowley - Bellevue, WA Brian Williams - Spanaway, WA Lance Roethle - Spokane, WA Larry London - Turner, OR Steve Seus - Central Point, OR Dennis Dove - Portland, OR Kai Vandepitte - Vancouver, WA Brandon K Tolliver - Chicago, IL Michael Alongi - Mount Prospect, IL Ricardo Contreras - Chicago, IL Jeremy Calloway - Maywood, IL Mike Destefano - Park Ridge, IL David Gray - Aurora, IL Nick Hawkins - Hebron, IL Kenneth Franklin II - CC Hills, IL Foster Pest - Rochelle, IL Allen P. Cotton - Bolingbrook, IL Curtis Clark - Merriville, IN Anthony Burns - Saginaw, MI Paul Bauer - Kalzamoo, MI Eugene McBride - Flint, MI Dujuan Calhoun - Inkster, MI Jared Sandling - Roseville, MI Garth Mosher - Commerce, MI

Kristopher Brooks - Westland, MI Cameron Polidan - Muskegon, MI Ryan Ferguson - Toledo, OH Winford Morrisey - Niles, MI Joshua Tilton - Des Moines, IA Greg Collister - Galva, IL Kegan Bakken - Cedar Falls, IA Jeremy Ramasir - New Richmond, WI Fred Boswell - Milwaukee, WI Dustin Helgestad - Janesville, WI Bill Repavich - Pewaukee, WI Kevin Rendelman - Peoria, IL Joe Jacobs - Lakeville, MN Blayr Alexander - Coon Rapids, MN Scott Chabot - Cottage Grove, MN Dontae Mackey - Cincinnati, OH Phillip M Knight Jr. - Dayton, OH Robert Jennings - Butler, KY Joshua Daniels - Prestonburg, KY Trevor Woodgett - Indianapolis, IN James Simmons - Fort Wayne, IN John Swope - Patoka, IN Perry Dattilo - Henderson, KY Reuben Gingrich - Bloomington, IN Michael Harris - Baton Rouge, LA Lance McAskill - Mobile, AL Zachary Mullings - Mirimar, FL Jermane Dukes - Miami, FL Adam Picoli - Jupiter, FL Orlando Muniz-Rivera - Lakeland, FL Ghaith Khder - Hudson, FL Taylor McKinley Robinson - Cape Coral, FL Timothy Washington - St. Petersburg, FL Jesse Williams - Charlotte, NC Chesley Allen - Raleigh, NC Richard Trice - Durham, NC Norman Allred - High Point, NC Wayne Thornton - Douglasville, GA Eric Solomon - Smyrna, GA Andrew Faletti - Lawrenceville, GA Devon Taylor - Stockbridge, GA Chris Osborne - Springfield, TN Noah Seiple - Louisville, TN Ramon Sampson - Cordova, TN Emrah Kotan - Roswell, GA Stephen Bailey - Little Rock, AR Joshua Stringer - Birmingham, AL Arvell Smith - Selma, AL Steven Maben - Jackson, MS Quentin Ravenel - Goose Creek, SC Clyde Frazier III - Orangeburg, SC David Adam Robinson - Mobile, AL Johnathan Parks - Apopka, FL Richard Rivera - Clermont, FL Zerick Randolph - Ft. Walton, FL Cory Douglas - Lake City, FL Justin Sanders - Tallahassee, FL Benjamin Cowan - Baltimore, MD Jordan Hunter - Baltimore, MD Ernie Slenkovich - Silver Spring, MD Nathan Read - Falls Church, VA Lydia Lewis - Stephens City, VA Chris Clark - Norfolk, VA Michael Pipoly - Fredericksburg, VA Scott Fitzhugh - Glen Allen, VA Justin Cohen - Derry, NH Shawn M Deneault - Smithfield, RI Tonto Taranto - West Bath, ME Brannon Nelson - Boston, NA Scott Beddia - Fitchburg, MA Michael Odabashian - Providence, RI Christian Orellana - N. Smithfeld, RI Michael Wassmer - Brookfield, MA Ashton Thomas - Lorain, OH Jermaine J Jackson - East Cleveland, OH Terron Howell - Columbus, OH Thomas Bryant - Canton, OH Derek Dixie - Youngstown, OH Anton Oliverio - Salamanca, NY Levi Bennett - Rochester, NY Quindell Palmer - Syracuse, NY Nathan Barnes - Waterbury, CT Robert Siraco - Middlebury, CT Stephen Allen - Norwich, CT Jotan Afanador - Bronx, NY Nelly Negron - Northampton, PA Andre Davis IV - Neptune, NJ Joseph Sparandeo - Clifton, NJ David Moore - Belleville, NJ Nathanael Berges - Linwood, NJ Felipe Torres - Leonia, NJ Marcello Izzo - Pine Hill, NJ Michael Rubinstein - Robbinsville, NJ Joseph Bondra IV - North Wale, PA Noah Connolly - State College, PA Michael O'Connell - Harrisburg, PA Evan Lintz - Morgantown, WV Emmanuel Rodriguez - Allentown, PA Jerad Lippi - Jessup, PA Scott Macfeat - Strasburg, PA Shariq (Gregory) Tucker - Bronx, NY Ben Greenspan - Glen Cove, NY Eli Monserrat - Glendale, NY Stanley Hampton - Smithtown, NY Greg Nash - Loudonville, NY Demetrius Pass - South Richmond Hill, NY Jim Rosati - Binghamton, NY

September 22nd, 2009 - First Round of Competitions Begin September 24 In Over 100 Cities Around the Country!

Each year, thousands of drummers across the nation compete in the world's largest drumming contest, Guitar Center's Drum-Off , with dreams of stardom and the hope of being crowned the "Top Undiscovered Drummer in the Nation". In addition to winning over $40,000 in cash and prizes, the title of Guitar Center Drum-Off Champion offers potentially career-altering opportunities for aspiring drummers, including national media attention and recognition from the professional drumming community, including some of the nation's greatest rock legends who form Drum-Off's panel of judges. Last year's Drum Off Champion, 22-year-old Jerome Flood II, made his television debut when he was invited to perform on Last Call with Carson Daly following his dramatic win in front of a live audience and a panel of judges that included Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Alan White (Yes), Thomas Pridgen (Mars Volta), Kenny Aronoff, Atom Willard (Social Distortion/Angels & Airwaves) The Rev (Avenged Sevenfold) and Danny Carey (Tool) (see Flood's winning performance here ).

Now in its 21st year, Guitar Center's Drum-Off has been a launching pad for numerous professional drummers, including Cora Coleman-Dunham and Tony Royster Jr , two Drum-Off winners who have gone on to become highly acclaimed professional drummers (with Prince and Jay Z respectively). At the age of eleven, Royster was the youngest drummer to clinch the title, beating out drummers decades his senior with his unparalleled handiwork. In 2002, Dunham was the first female to be honored with the same prize, shattering the "boy's club" drumming mold. Both have since racked up impressive credentials, playing behind a bevy of popular artists, including Jay-Z, Prince, Pink and more.

Check out this interview with Cora "CC" Dunham and Tony Royster Jr. as they discuss their careers and the role GC's Drum-Off played in their careers!

Guitar Center's Drum-Off '09 champion will win an impressive package of prizes, including $25,000 cash, a Roland TD-25 electronic kit, a custom designed drum kit by DW, Pearl, Gretsch, Tama, or Orange Country Drums, a drum, stick, cymbal, and drum head endorsement deals as well as a feature in Modern Drummer magazine, along with a VIP appearance @ NAMM 2010 and a Monster Energy Drink endorsement deal, making the total prize package worth over $40,000. Additionally, Monster Energy, Pro-Mark, Latin Percussion, DW, Remo, Vic Firth, Orange County Drum and Percussion, Zildjian, Sabian, Gretsch, Roland, Tama, Pearl, Evans and Modern Drummer are all proud sponsors of Guitar Center's Drum-Off 09.