The 2022 DrumathonLIVE takes place from 14-21 May and will see musicians and personalities drumming non-stop for 250 hours for charity. It’s the creation of Errol and fellow musician Bev Sage, founder member of the Techno Twins, who started the annual event during lockdown in 2020. To date it has raised over £160,000 for children’s and mental health charities. DrumathonLIVE also inspired and took part in the 2021 BBC Children in Need Drumathon, featuring TV weather presenter Owain Wyn Evans, which raised over £3.8million. 

Errol’s walk and drum this weekend will raise awareness of DrumathonLIVE and offers a great chance for everyone across East and West London to get involved. He will be setting off from St John’s Church, Hackney at 7am on Sunday. Getting up early to wave Errol off will be young members of the Pedro Club, a local youth group as well as supporters from Variety, the Children’s Charity.

At about 11.30am Errol will enjoy refreshments and encouragement from well-wishers at a cheering point at Turnham Green, around halfway along his route. In the afternoon he will make his way across West London, before finally arriving outside the Windsor Castle pub in Windsor at about 6pm – in time for a well-earned drink and a warm welcome from guests. Present will be world-renowned drummer Vince Dunn and fellow drummers invited via his Facebook group, plus more young members of the Pedro Club. Everyone is welcome to come along and drum along!

More about Errol

Errol Kennedy’s drumming roots began in Jamaica’s carnival and marching bands – prepping him for a musical career which officially began during the early 1970s. In London’s jazz funk years Errol was a founding member of bands TFA, then TFB Central Line and Midnight Express.

In 1980 he co-founded Imagination with Ashley Ingram and Leee John. Errol’s groove drumming was a vital element in Imagination’s success and this along with the bands outrageous dance moves meant he could no longer be contained behind the drum kit; his inner showman was unleashed.

Throughout the 1980s the legendary trio danced, sang and wowed audiences world-wide. Beyond the glory days of Imagination, Errol worked with Hugh Masekela at Bray Film Studios producing the soundtrack for the movie Soweto. He also played for bands such as Odyssey, Shalamar, Rose Royce, Grace Kennedy, Jamiroquai, Frankie Knuckles, Arthur Baker and Colonel Abraham.

On 7 April 2020, at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Errol drummed for 24 hours to support the NHS. Then, with fellow musician Bev Sage of The Techno Twins, Errol co-founded DrumathonLIVE, creating the first global drumming live-streamed charity event in May 2020 – a 250-hour, non-stop drumming fiesta like no other.

More about DrumathonLIVE

DrumathonLIVE 2022, the global event for all drummers, is set to raise awareness and funds for mental health charities. The event will be live streamed at www.drumathon.live for a full week from 14-21 May 2022.

DrumathonLIVE to date has featured an epic list of high profile drummers from bands such as Coldplay, Kaiser Chiefs, Depeche Mode, Imagination, Culture Club, The Cure, Girls Aloud, Tom Jones, Madonna, Kasabian – and this year the event is set to beat all records.

The 2022 line up so far includes Cherisse Osei (Simple Minds), Richard Jupp (Elbow) Derrick McKenzie (Jamiroquai), Aicha Djidjelli and Holly Madge fresh from the amazing Hans Zimmer tour, Mike Malyan (Monuments), Charlie Morgan (Elton John’s Live Aid drummer), Raghav Mehtrora from NYC, We.Are.Alien. and the legendary Andy Gagandeen plus many more.

Also performing will be thousands of semi and pro drummers who will contribute to 250 hours of non-stop percussion.