It was in grade school band class that Glen Savage picked up drumsticks for the first time. He said he was inexplicably drawn to the instrument. Nothing else seemed to fit: "I was maybe too ignorant to play nice music, like piano, so I played drums instead."



The skill came naturally and that seat behind the kit carried Savage into a professional music career. Glen Savage went on to perform in several local clubs. A high point of his career was the four years he spent drumming alongside pianist Johnny Neel's band on The Lawrence Welk Show.



Later on, Glen Savage played in worship bands for many area churches. He filled the drummer role into his 80s at First Christian Church in Sidney alongside pianist Georgia Butterfield.



In 2012 Glen Savage and his wife, Wanita, celebrated their 71st anniversary. Glen, then 96-years old, celebrated this with cake and playing on his drums.