You can take the lad out of Yorkshire.....

John Watterson

Drums, Swannee Whistle, Wearer of Hats

John was born, bred and buttered in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
He has been playing drums and percussion since the age of 13.

After playing for local theatre productions and various orchestras across the North, John joined Grimethorpe Colliery Band in 2005 and was their Principal Percussionist between 2009 and 2018, undertaking tours to Australia, the USA and Europe as well as playing at the BBC Proms and the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony.

As a freelance timpanist/drumset specialist, John is currently principal timpanist with the Brigantes Orchestra and has performed with the Orchestra of Opera North, Symphonic Brass
of London, National Festival Orchestra, English ProMusica and
Superbrass.

He was also invited to audition for the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra in 2012 and for the Vienna State Opera/Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra in 2018. (if he was any good, he’d have got the job).  Locally, aside to the inimitable Dizzy Club, John thwacks the tubs with the great and the good of the Sheffield music scene when anyone better is not available.