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Todd Sucherman Biography

todd-sucherman
  • Born: in Chicago, IL
  • Years Active: 1990s-2000s
  • Member of: Styx
  • Genre: Rock & Alternative

Born in Chicago, IL, rock drummer Todd Sucherman was the son of Dr. Arnold J. Sucherman, who, in addition to his medical practice, also served as the house drummer at the Chez Parre' club, where he worked with Lena Horne, Sammy Davis, Jr., Sophie Tucker, Joe E. Lewis, Jack Benny, and others. Todd Sucherman's mother was actress Jo Seiwert. His older brothers Paul Sucherman (keyboards) and Joel Sucherman (bass) also became musicians. Todd Sucherman was taught to play drums and to read music by his father at an early age, and before long the Sucherman Brothers were playing professionally. Sucherman attended the Berklee College of Music for one year, then studied privately with Gary Chaffee. In 1988, he moved back to Chicago and became a session drummer. In 1996, he was invited to join a reunion of veteran Chicago rock group Styx when founding member John Panozzo proved too ill to perform with them. Sucherman toured with Styx and first appeared on their live album/video Return to Paradise (1997), then on the studio album Brave New World (1999). Two live albums, Arch Allies: Live at Riverport (with REO Speedwagon) and Styx World: Live 2001, followed. Cyclorama, another studio album, appeared in 2003. Even while in Styx, Sucherman has found time to do sessions with other musicians, and his drumming can be heard on albums by the Angelic Voices of Faith, Bag It, Bee, Michael Bolton, Jim Brickman, Peter Cetera, the Christianaires, Steve Cole, Brian Culbertson, Tim Cunningham, Bill Dickens, the Falling Wallendas, Dottie Jones, Fareed Haque, Wade Hubbard, Into the Green, Henry Kapono, R. Kelly, Steve Kolander, Danny Kravitz, Donald Malloy, Bob Mamet, Nicholas Markos, Douglas Miller, Taylor Mills, Not the Joneses, Lee Nysted, Billy Ocean, Jim Peterik, Greg Ridley, Kane Roberts, Rochelle, Morty Shallman, Tommy Shaw, Survivor, Joe Lynn Turner, John Wetton, and Brian Wilson. He has performed live with Cole, Culbertson, Dickens, the Falling Wallendas, Haque, Mamet, Wilson, Josie Aiello, Rick Braun, Lionel Cole, Bobby Enriquez, David Hasselhoff, Darryl Jones, Eric Marienthal, Michael McDermott, Spinal Tap, Sandy Torano, Dave Uhrich, and Peter White. In August 2008, Sucherman released an instructional video, Methods & Mechanics -- For Useful Musical Drumming. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi

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