Groove Day
South Plains College
Creative Arts Department &
Professor Phillip D. Smith, M.M.
Director of Percussion in Commercial Music
present
The 3rd Annual
Groove Day
Join us for a thrilling day of rhythm, energy, and inspiration featuring special guest…

March 29th, 2025
Tom T. Hall Auditorium
1401 College Avenue
Levelland, Texas
For more information:
Professor Phillip D. Smith, M.M.
Phone: 806-716-2290
Email: psmith@southplainscollege.edu

Creative Arts
& Professor Phillip D. Smith, M.M.
Director of Percussion in Commercial Music
Present
The 3rd Annual
Groove Day
March 29, 2025
Tom T. Hall Auditorium
1401 College Avenue
Levelland, Texas
For more information:
Professor Phillip D. Smith, M.M.
Phone: 806-716-2290
Email: psmith@southplainscollege.edu
Join us for a thrilling day of rhythm, energy, and inspiration, featuring special guest…
Kenny Aronoff
Kenny Aronoff is one of the most influential and in-demand drummers and percussionists in the world. He has entertained millions of people with his drumming, has played on thousands of records, and has been the “go-to” drummer for the biggest stars in music while providing the beat of American culture over four decades!

Kenny grew up in a big country farmhouse in a small town of 3,000 people in the hills of western Massachusetts. He was a self-taught drummer who at the young age of 16 decided to learn how to play timpani, mallets, and legit snare drum. He studied and played with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, including world-renowned timpanist Vic Firth. He went on to study one year at the University of Massachusetts and four years at Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, where among other honors, he was awarded the school’s prestigious performer’s certificate. During summer breaks, when he wasn’t studying timpani with Vic Firth, he played in symphony orchestras at the Aspen Music Festival (run by the Juilliard School of Music) and the Tanglewood Music Festival (run by the Boston Symphony Orchestra). After graduating, Kenny was offered timpani positions in several symphony orchestras but instead said “no” because he still wanted to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band and be part of a team of musicians that recorded music and toured the world, just like The Beatles did. Kenny spent one year studying drum set with Alan Dawson in Boston and Gary Chester in New York before moving back to Bloomington to start his own band, “Streamwinner“.
Three years later in 1980, he joined the John Mellencamp band, recording 10 albums and toured with him for over a 17-year period. Kenny’s innovative style and solid back beats became the driving force behind Mellencamp’s long run of definitive hit records in the ’80s and ’90s.
In addition, Kenny is an enormously successful studio musician recording over 300 MILLION records in sales with more than 1300 that were RIAA Certified Gold, Platinum Or Diamond. A true renaissance man, Kenny is also a best-selling author, television show host, and accomplished corporate speaker, having taken the stage for top universities, corporations, and organizations around the world!
Kenny Aronoff
Kenny Aronoff is one of the most influential and in-demand drummers and percussionists in the world. He has entertained millions of people with his drumming, has played on thousands of records, and has been the “go-to” drummer for the biggest stars in music while providing the beat of American culture over four decades!

Kenny grew up in a big country farmhouse in a small town of 3,000 people in the hills of western Massachusetts. He was a self-taught drummer who at the young age of 16 decided to learn how to play timpani, mallets, and legit snare drum. He studied and played with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, including world-renowned timpanist Vic Firth. He went on to study one year at the University of Massachusetts and four years at Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, where among other honors, he was awarded the school’s prestigious performer’s certificate. During summer breaks, when he wasn’t studying timpani with Vic Firth, he played in symphony orchestras at the Aspen Music Festival (run by the Juilliard School of Music) and the Tanglewood Music Festival (run by the Boston Symphony Orchestra). After graduating, Kenny was offered timpani positions in several symphony orchestras but instead said “no” because he still wanted to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band and be part of a team of musicians that recorded music and toured the world, just like The Beatles did. Kenny spent one year studying drum set with Alan Dawson in Boston and Gary Chester in New York before moving back to Bloomington to start his own band, “Streamwinner“.
Three years later in 1980, he joined the John Mellencamp band, recording 10 albums and toured with him for over a 17-year period. Kenny’s innovative style and solid back beats became the driving force behind Mellencamp’s long run of definitive hit records in the ’80s and ’90s.
In addition, Kenny is an enormously successful studio musician recording over 300 MILLION records in sales with more than 1300 that were RIAA Certified Gold, Platinum Or Diamond. A true renaissance man, Kenny is also a best-selling author, television show host, and accomplished corporate speaker, having taken the stage for top universities, corporations, and organizations around the world!
Groove Day 2025 Schedule
9:30 am – Doors open to Tom T Hall Production Studio. Registration for door prizes
10 am – Welcome from our host, Professor Phillip Smith, Director of Percussion, South Plains College followed by drum set clinic
11 am – Kenny Aronoff drum set clinic
12:15 pm – break for lunch
1:30 pm – Groove Contest
3 pm – Interview/Q & A with Kenny Aronoff
3:30 pm – Announcement of Groove Contest winners and other door prizes
3:45 pm – Adjourn Groove Day 2025
4 pm – Kenny Aronoff private masterclass ($50 for students, $100 general public)
Registration for GrooveDay Contest & Private Masterclass w/ Kenny Aronoff

What IS Groove Day??
Groove Day is a celebration of music through the art of drumming. This unique event brings world-renowned drummers to South Plains College’s state-of-the-art venue, the Tom T. Hall Production Studio.
Imagine if we were hosting a football camp; our guest drummers would be the equivalent of Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes leading the instruction! For example, our featured guest for 2023, Sonny Emory, has performed with Earth, Wind, and Fire, Bruce Hornsby, David Sanborn, Lee Ritenour, The B-52s, Steely Dan, and is the current drummer for Eric Clapton.

Last year, we were honored to host John JR Robinson, the most-recorded drummer in history. He has played with iconic artists such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Rufus and Chaka Khan, George Strait, Lionel Richie, USA for Africa, Diana Ross, Daft Punk, and is the touring drummer for David Foster. Throughout the day, the event features performances, masterclasses, contests, giveaways, and question-and-answer sessions.
Groove Day is a truly unique event in this region, appealing to students and professional musicians across all genres. We are unaware of any similar event in this area that combines world-class education with a competition, where participants are adjudicated and mentored by some of the most revered musicians in the industry. For future contests, we plan to award scholarships to student winners. Adult winners will have the choice of scholarships or prizes provided by our corporate sponsors!
What IS Groove Day??
Groove Day is a celebration of music through the art of drumming. This unique event brings world-renowned drummers to South Plains College’s state-of-the-art venue, the Tom T. Hall Production Studio.
Imagine if we were hosting a football camp; our guest drummers would be the equivalent of Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes leading the instruction! For example, our featured guest for 2023, Sonny Emory, has performed with Earth, Wind, and Fire, Bruce Hornsby, David Sanborn, Lee Ritenour, The B-52s, Steely Dan, and is the current drummer for Eric Clapton.
