Donati, Virgil (USA)

ADAMS DRUMMERS FESTIVAL - 07 October 1998
ADAMS DRUMMERS FESTIVAL - 15 April 2018

Virgil Donati was born in Melbourne, Australia, and got his first drum set at the age of 3.

He immediately started playing with his father’s showband and continued until around the age of 6. He began taking lessons at age 7 with Brian Czempinski, followed by Graham Morgan, who is now a legend in the Australian drumming scene.

At 15, he joined his first rock band, Cloud Nine, which later became Taste.

Virgil left school at 16 to focus entirely on drumming, as well as piano, practicing intensely every day.

Playing 6 nights a week with Taste helped him develop his skills quickly. With limited access to books or major tours in isolated Australia, he relied heavily on records and self-motivation.

His father’s jazz records, including Louie Bellson and Buddy Rich, inspired him to emulate their solos and shaped his early style.

The first rock drummer to truly influence him was Ian Paice of Deep Purple. Virgil was “blown away by his clarity and power”, qualities he would later become known for himself.

Practice became a lifestyle for Virgil, as he aimed to master as many styles as possible to adapt to any musical situation.

At 19, he traveled to the U.S. to study with Philly Jo Jones and at Dick Grove School in L.A. He also studied snare drum with Murry Spivak.

Returning to Australia at 21, his career took off. He played jazz with Alan Zavod and Brian Brown, and rock with Peter Cupples' band, becoming a sought-after touring and session drummer.

His own pop band, The State, evolved into Southern Sons, giving him his first taste of international recognition.

The big breakthrough came in 1995 with the release of his solo album Stretch, which amazed the global drumming community.

Virgil introduced a revolutionary approach to double bass drumming, including double strokes at incredible speeds.

In 1996, he moved to the U.S. to further his career. He has since toured and recorded with artists like Tina Arena, Steve Walsh, Tribal Tech, and Steve Vai. His own band Planet X is considered one of the most advanced fusion bands in the world.

Virgil Donati has pushed double bass drumming to unthinkable levels. His performance must be seen to be believed!