Zoro (born Daniel Donnelly, June 13, 1962) also known as The Minister of Groove is an American

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drums. Most contemporary western music ensemble, bands that play Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, or Contemporary R&B, R&B music include a drummer for purposes including timekeepi ...

whose style includes

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

, R&B, and

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

. Zoro has toured and recorded with

Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His debut album ''Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album), Let Love Rule'' (1989) was characterized by a blend of Rock music, rock ...

Bobby Brown Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and Contemporary R&B, R ...

, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons,

New Edition New Edition is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B/Pop music, pop group from the Roxbury, Boston, Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the Jackson ...

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Philip Bailey Philip James Bailey (born May 8, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and percussionist, best known as an early member and one of the two lead singers (along with group founder Maurice White) of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. Noted for his fo ...

Lisa Marie Presley Lisa Marie Presley (February 1, 1968 – January 12, 2023) was an American singer and songwriter. She was the daughter of singer and actor Elvis Presley, who is referred to as "The King of Rock and Roll" and actress Priscilla Presley, as well a ...

, and Throttle Body Motorcycle Club, among others. He was named the number one R&B drummer and clinician in industry magazines including

Modern Drummer ''Modern Drummer'' is a monthly publication targeting the interests of drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, columns offering advice on technique, and information for the general public. ''Modern Dru ...

and '

Drum! ''Drum!'' is an American educational drumming magazine. It features artist profiles, product reviews, lessons and advanced transcriptions covering rock, pop and related styles of music. The magazine was launched in 1991 with Andy Doerschuk as ed ...

Author

Zoro is the author of five books. "The Commandments of R&B Drumming" earned him a ''Modern Drummer'' Reader's Poll #1 Educational text vote. The book was expanded and re-released by Alfred Publishing in a 10th anniversary edition. The follow-up, "The Commandments of Early R&B Drumming" was written with Daniel Glass. In 2011, he published "The Big Gig", a book centered on achievement in the music industry. In September 2016 he released "SOAR!: 9 Proven Keys For Unlocking Your Limitless Potential" Also: Maria's Scarf: A Memoir of a Mother's Love, a Son's Perseverance, and Dreaming Big, April 2024, an incredible biography of his life and the ubiquitous influence of his mother's love and perseverance. ISBN-13: 9798874812713. Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Christian Faith

In addition to his work in music, Zoro is a Christian Motivational speaker appearing at festivals and churches around the world. He has been featured on Christian television, including ''the 700 Club, Daystar Celebration, Jc-TV, The Joni Show, MorningStar Ministries,'' among other broadcasts.

Ministry and Motivational Speaking and Teaching

Now working out of Nashville, TN, Zoro is increasingly focused on his Ministry and motivational speaking work for groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters and Compassion International. Zoro is currently a percussion instructor at Belmont University in Nashville. He is also a pastor at Bayside Church Adventure Campus in Roseville, CA.

Gear and Equipment

Zoro is endorsed by DW Drums, Evans, Latin Percussion among other manufacturers. His most recent set of note was played during his 2004 engagement with

, drumming on the "Baptism" tour.

References

External links

* http://www.zorothedrummer.com/ * http://www.zoroministries.org/
Zoro Interview
at NAMM Oral History Collection (2012) {{DEFAULTSORT:Zoro Living people 1962 births 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians