Burleigh Drummond
The rhythmic backbone of the band Ambrosia, his versatile drumming and production helped shape their sophisticated blend of progressive rock and smooth pop.
Born 1951 (age 75)·Musical artist·Birthday: September 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Burleigh Drummond is a musician's musician, a drummer whose taste and technical skill have anchored the sound of Ambrosia for over five decades. Co-founding the band in Southern California, his playing provided the complex, yet always grooving, foundation for their intricate hits like 'How Much I Feel' and 'Biggest Part of Me.' Beyond the kit, he expanded his role to become a key songwriter, vocalist, and producer for the group, contributing to their five Grammy nominations. His musical life is a deeply collaborative partnership with his wife, vocalist and keyboardist Mary Harris, with whom he performs in Ambrosia and their own project, Tin Drum. Drummond's style—precise without being flashy, powerful yet nuanced—exemplifies the session-player ethos applied to a major rock act, making him an enduring but often under-sung architect of the band's polished, enduring sound.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Burleigh was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Burleigh Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Burleigh's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As a founding member and drummer of Ambrosia, he performed on all of the band's albums, contributing to multiple gold records and five Grammy nominations.
- Co-wrote several of Ambrosia's signature songs, including 'Life Beyond L.A.' from the album of the same name.
- Has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists beyond Ambrosia, including Bill Champlin and Three Dog Night.
- Co-founded and performs in the band Tin Drum with his wife and fellow Ambrosia member Mary Harris.
Did You Know?
He is a classically trained percussionist who studied at the Interlochen Arts Academy.
His wife, Mary Harris, is also a member of Ambrosia, and they often perform together on stage.
He provided the voice for the character 'Burleigh' in the animated television series 'The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers.'
Outside of music, he is an accomplished painter and has exhibited his artwork.
“The drums aren't just timekeeping; they're the architecture of the song.”
