肉肉传媒

KENNESAW, Ga. | Apr 12, 2023

When he arrived at 肉肉传媒 in Fall 2009, Robert Boone Jr. had spent several years playing drums.

More than a decade later, not only is Boone a working musician playing in clubs around Atlanta, but he is also the drummer in the legendary Count Basie Orchestra.

Boone grew up in Augusta in a musical family. His father  was the minister of music at their home church, and Robert and his brother Brandon played drums and bass, respectively, in the church. He chose KSU after a strong audition with John Lawless, director of percussion studies.

鈥淚 just remember that at the audition, professor Lawless made me feel super comfortable,鈥� Boone said. 鈥淏ut he also went over some of the things that I could do better as a percussionist. So I got a chance to experience his teaching style, which involved a lot of positive reinforcement.鈥�

Boone studied with Lawless for his first two years before Lawless told assistant professor of percussion Justin Chesarek about a supremely talented drummer making his way through the program.

鈥淩obert was so accelerated when I met him,鈥� Chesarek said. 鈥淗e had great timing and tempo and a natural feel on the drums with strong technique to back it up, but he worked really hard, too.鈥�

Throughout his time at KSU, Boone said his professors treated their students like colleagues and collaborators, including hiring students for gigs, which helped them make the switch from student to professional musician. 

鈥淢y professors did me a huge favor by hiring me for some gigs that maybe I was a little too young to be on, but it really paid off,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 learned a lot about being a professional, showing up prepared, wearing the right clothes. Sometimes you learn more on a gig than you do in class.鈥�

After graduating with his bachelor鈥檚 in percussion in 2013, Boone enrolled at Florida State University, where he earned his master鈥檚 in jazz studies under professor and jazz percussionist Leon Anderson and was the student assistant for professor Scotty Barnhart鈥攁lso the director of the Count Basie Orchestra. He finished his master鈥檚 in 2016.

Months later, Barnhart called and offered the opportunity  to audition for the Count Basie Orchestra. The audition lasted for a month鈥攁 week in New York, two weeks in Japan, then another week in Kansas City鈥攂efore Boone officially took over.

Now Boone has a full passport when he鈥檚 on the road and a full schedule when he鈥檚 at home.

With the Basie Orchestra, he spends months on the road both abroad and in the U.S. In Atlanta, he teaches jazz percussion at Georgia State University and is an in-demand session drummer, playing gigs several nights a week.

It鈥檚 a lifestyle he wouldn鈥檛 have any other way and one that he credits KSU with helping him achieve. 

鈥淔rom becoming a better drummer to learning how to truly be a professional, my classmates and faculty from 肉肉传媒 State pushed me to where I am now,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is exactly what I want to do.鈥�

This article originally appeared in the of 肉肉传媒 State Magazine.

鈥� Dave Shelles
Photos by Judith Pishnery

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 肉肉传媒 offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. 肉肉传媒 State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 肉肉传媒 State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.