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Hello Everyone At AdlandPro!
It’s time again for the Feature of The Week!
Good news! Kathy Martin is back to help me with the POTW forum.
The reason Kathy Martin and I John Sanchez created this forum was to honor people who have a positive influence on this community. To qualify the person has to be an active member and one who contributes to the positive atmosphere here AdlandPro. Here are the criteria for selecting a member for the Feature of the Week (also referred to as the
Person of the Week, POTW). This criterion can be seen at the site below:
Criterion
How Do I Get Selected as Person of the Week?
To be chosen as Person of the week you:
• Are highly visible on the community
• Are always seen as respectful, professional, and helpful.
• Must be
nominated for the program by another member of the Community and voted on by other members.
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How about a drum roll for this week’s POTW who happens to be a drummer?! This week’s POTW is Kenneth Sword. Ken is one of AdlandPro’s most intelligent and talented members. He is also very kind and helpful. We are very fortunate to have Ken in our community; he is very knowledgeable in Network Marketing and Blogging. Thank you Ken for the great information you provide us with here at AdlandPro. Congratulations on being this week’s POTW! Enjoy you week of honor!
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A great big thank you to all of you and to John and Kathy for having this forum
for members to shine.
Another big thanks go to Bogden and the crew of AdlandPro. Thanks for the tools
and the commission checks.
Well, here's me.
Born in Washington, D.C. on July 4th, the 1st of 5 children, my parents moved to
Frederick, MD when I turned two. Raised and schooled there. Studied music in
school.
My childhood days were very happy days and I have a lot of wonderful memories.
No, my family wasn't perfect and that's what added excitement to my life. We
lived in a suburban area with a single story house with 3 bedrooms and one bath.
A patio that was coverted to a sunroom/bedroom as the family grew.
I learned early in life how cruel people can be. My younger brother (child #2)
ended up with brain damage during the delivery and brain surgery was performed
to try to fix the problem. This left my brother mentally retarted and somewhat
deformed. An excessive swelling of the skull caused him to be mis-proportioned
and while growing up he was called names like basketball head and all. This got
me into alot of fights.
Family was first and foremost. We had our chores. I learned about farming on a
small scale when I was 9 or 10. With a large family and dad working for the
government didn't give us a wealthy life but we learned to pull together and
help support each other.
Mom was a stay at home wife and had her hands full with all of us kids and
canning from all of the garden's bounty. Plus the daily amount of laundry and
cleaning and 3 meals a day, I don't know how she kept up.
I played baseball in my youth and knew I wanted to be a drummer since I was 7.
Started learning when I was 9.
It began with instruction in elementary school in the 60's. I continued on in
Junior and Senior high school in Frederick, MD. From 9th grade was accomplished
to reach All County, Western Maryland Regional Honors Band and Maryland State
Band as a full rounded percussionist.
At the same time, I was also a hired performer in churches and community for
holidays during the same school years.
Under the direction of Band Director John Slezak and Drum Instructor Dick Janes
from the Baltimore Yankee Rebels, I excelled in marching DCI & DCA Corps. Also,
with a schoolmate, Scott Ambush - now bassist with the world famous jazz group
Spyro-Gyra, we performed with the high school jazz band.
While a Junior in high school, I was hired by a local country band and continued
with them for a year while still performing with school, church and community.
After a brief time with the Army, I again went to playing with a couple of local
groups. One excelled and began to tour. We toured mostly the East Coast with
much happening. The band BTE became well known and had celebrity sit-ins and
performances with such people as: Charlie Pride, Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Dove,
Ronnie Milsap, Jimmy Hodge, Ricky Scaggs, and others; either as an opening act
or as the band behind the Artist. As the band grew, it pulled in Mike Farren on
bass guitar from Bob Segar Silver Bullet Band. We ended touring in 1987.
My next musical step came when I met Jeff Bunn - Bass player from Parliament /
P-Funk All Stars. We formed together with Todd Manley - guitarist from Firehouse
and Keith Wallace, who has recorded keyboards with The Temptations, Janet
Jackson, and others. We were named The Earthtones. From time to time we would
pull in other players like Frank Cates (DCI lead soprano, trumpet with Ellis
Marsalis, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Temptations, etc.), Calvin Farmer (Tenor and
Alto Saxophone - Chuck Berry, Duke Ellington Orchestra). We recorded a six song
CD in a Flamenco/Latin style. While working with these guys, I would contract
with up to 5 bands for live performances.
One in particular was the band The Headstone Circus. They were another group of
fine talent. We did a lot of openers for The Dave Mathews Band on an east coast
college tour and some bigger venues.
From March of 1997 until April 2000, I ran an Open Mic Blues Night at Dogtown
Lounge in Richmond, VA every Sunday night. Musicians from New York to Florida
would come and perform on a regular basis making it one of the most sought after
shows in Richmond, VA and possibly the east coast.
Along with the Mic Night show, I was doing tour dates with a casino band named
Private I'z. Performing by now with The Village People as their drummer I did
the Millenium New Year's show for Speaking Rock Casino in El Paso, Tx. Met my
current wife there.
Retired now from the road, moved to El Paso. Had to further my education to
teach music.
All this and a new wife and two step-children.
Since moving to El Paso, I have become active in the music community, perform
with local groups like Dr. Groove, Fuego Latino, a member of The Friends of Jazz
Society, a music student at UTEP, performing with UTEP's Marching Miners, Jazz 2
group, Pandemonium Steel Drum Group, Percussion Ensemble, Orchestra and UTEP PEP
Band.
I have performed with these Artists in my lifetime:
Roy Carter -Accordion - Zydeco Recording Artist
Big Jack Johnson - Blues Guitarist of the Year - 1998 Down Beat Polls
Steve Winwood - Rock n Roll
Bobby Messano - Lead guitarist for Steve Winwood
Tom Larsen - Blues / Funk Recording Artist
Mel Melton & the Wicked Mojos - Blues Recording Artist
Winds of Change
Earthtones - Independent Label Artists
Ronnie Dove - Nashville Recording Artist
Ronnie Milsap - Nashville Recording Artist
Kenny Rogers - Nashville Recording Artist
Charlie Pride - Nashville Recording Artist
Jeff Bunn - Bass Player for Parliament / P-Funk All-stars
Todd Manley - Guitar - Firehouse
Keith Wallace - Keyboards - Major Artists
Ronnie Younkins - Rock n Roll group Kix
Scott Ambush - GRP Recording Artist - Spyro Gyra
Jimmy Hodge - Nashville Recording Artist
Ricky Scaggs - Nashville Recording Artist
Joe E. Brown - Bass - Nashville Recording Artist - Hank Williams, Jr.
Nevada Hart - Guitar - Nashville Recording Artist - Hank Williams, Jr.
Calvin Farmer - Saxophone-Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, others
Frank Cates - Trumpet-Duke Ellington Orchestra, Temptations, DCI-Boston
Crusaders, Blue Devils, others
Eileen Edmonds - Independent World/Folk Recording Artist
The Village People - 70's & 80's Disco Recording Group
Willie Kahn - Guitarist for Lynard Skynard
Associations and Clinic Study
John Wooten - Doctor of Percussion - Univ. of S. Mississippi
Ricky Malichi - Spaun Drums endorsed Drummer
Dom Famularo - Endorsed Clinician-Educator-Motivationist
Carter Beauford - Dave Matthews Band
Keith Horn - Trish Yearwood and others
Victor Wooten - Jazz & Funk
Joe Morello - Dave Brubeck Quartet
Steve Smith - Journey, Vital Information
Vinnie Caliouta - Frank Zappa, others
Steve Gadd - Steely Dan, Chuck Mangione, Paul Simon and others
Will Kennedy - Yellow Jackets, Martin Short Show
Aerosmith - Ran monitor mix for a performance
Jerome Brailey - Parliament/ P-Funk All-stars
Richard Boals & the Souls - Blues Recording Artist
DCI Corps. - Crossmen '74 and '75
DCA Corps. - Baltimore Yankee-Rebels '76 and '77
Performed w/ high school band for the President of the United States in 1976,
Washington, D.C.
All County High School Band - 4 years
Western Maryland Regional Honors Band - 3 years
Maryland State Band - 2 years
Numerous awards and citations - 4 years
At UTEP - Undergraduate of Music Education
Current Percussion Instructor - Burges High School - 2 years
Private instruction for several students - El Paso, TX
Creator and instructor of Sword2Drum Fundamentals Drumming Camp every summer
Director of Music - David Carrasco Job Corps - Current
Burges High School Drumline - 2 years
Ysleta High School All Girls Drum Corps - 1 year
Ysleta High School Marimba Band - 1 year
Ysleta High School Marching Band - 1 year
Previous Percussion Instructor - Appomattox County High School Band - 4 years
Appomattox, VA
Previous Instruction-
Frederick High School Band - Frederick, MD - 2 yrs.
Clinician/Drummer/Motivator Dom Famularo kept me on the right track with his
motivation book and naturally, his drumming.
http://www.domfamularo.com .
Has been chosen as the "WORLD's" Best Drumming Educator". This is no
exageration.
Became a student at UTEP in El Paso, TX. A few more classes and I'm done!
Performing with local groups, networked into the music scene here.
Offered Director of Music at Job Corps in November of 2003. Still there,
educating young adults.
Started to look into "Selling" on the internet in 2001. Joined this, joined
that. Worked this, worked that. I few sales here and there. More going out than
coming in.
Decided to just keep my eyes on things with the internet until the answer hit me
in the head.
I studied companies, ads, people, how internet works. Read, read, read!
Found AdlandPro in January of 2005. And a gentleman on the internet named Kevin
Bidwell. I have studied many others but Kevin has a "At-home" type of feeling.
Down to earth. I still read over his stuff today.
I am currently titled
"Blog Advisor" by AdlandPro:
http://community.adlandpro.com/go/sword2drum
and an affiliate of PressMania:
http://www.ken_sword.pressmania.com/postSelection.aspx
Partners in MEGA Traffic:
http://www.megatraffic.us
MEGA Classifieds:
http://www.megaclassifieds.us/index.html
Bizzy Blogz
http://www.bizzyblogz.com http://bizzyblogz.com/krsword
Executive Hosting Services
http://www.executive-hosting.us
Running several help forums for the MEGA Group.
A new project is in developemental stages.
Another project that has been developing for over 9 months now is a Pro
Exhibition Basketball Team.
Coach Mike Gonzalez and myself have been putting together this dream and should
have things rolling by December.
Insurances, contacts, contracts, travel agents and hotel chains, items
promotions, memorabilia, photographers, endorsements, club registry, Name
registration, licenses, tax number, shall I continue?
Well, you see I have a full plate but I love it.
This may also explain my limit of time to get into all the great forums here at
AdlandPro.
You all are still in my heart.
Kenneth R Sword Jr
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Folks please take the time to thank Ken for all he does here at AdlandPro! Congratulations again Ken and thanks for all you do for us here at the community.
John Sanchez and
Kathy Martin
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