Durham Drum Lessons is the private teaching studio of Dale Baker, a professional drummer with over 20 years of experience in the music industry.
Dale toured internationally and recorded with platinum selling, Grammy nominated and Dove Award winning Sixpence None the Richer ("Kiss Me, and "There She Goes" were among their biggest hits) for over 7 years. He also worked as a studio musician in Nashville, Tennessee for several years.
While in Nashville, he recorded with Emmylou Harris, Jim Lauderdale, Buddy and Julie Miller, Michael W. Smith, Rebecca St. James and many others.
In addition to his work with artists and groups, Dale has played drums and percussion on jingles and soundtracks for corporate clients such as, Southwest Airlines, Scholastic Books, the Carolina Hurricanes, and Pepsi.
Prior to joining Sixpence None the Richer and his work as an independent session musician, Dale spent 6 years at the University of North Texas, studying with Robert Schietroma, Lalo Davila, Frankie Malabe (RIP), Ed Soph, Ron Fink, Henry Okstel, Colin Bailey, and many other wonderful teachers and performers (such as Tito Puente and Bobby McFerrin!).
Dale was a multi-year scholarship recipient and performed, traveled and/ or recorded with the One o' Clock Lab Band, the UNT Jazz Singers, the UNT Zebras, the UNT Steel Drum Ensemble, the award winning UNT Drumline, The UNT African Ensemble, The UNT Gamelan Ensemble, and a whole host of other smaller combos, jam sessions, percussion recitals, and concert and orchestral ensembles.
During his time in college, Dale spent a summer traveling across the US with the Sky Ryders Drum and Bugle Corp and was one of 3 drummers hired to perform as a college musician at Walt Disney World during the summer of 1988. The following year, Walt Disney World hired Dale to return as the Assistant Director of their College Band program.
In 1990, Dale graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Music degree (BM), with an emphasis in Instrumental Education.
