Cindy Bracken of Valencia had taken drum lessons for about six months when her teacher moved to California. He suggested Bracken call Randy Roth as the go-to guy to continue her lessons. After all, Roth had taught him, too.

At age 59, Roth is going strong, educating all ages of drum students and playing with dozens of bands. In short, he makes a living with his music.

“One night it's rock 'n' roll, jazz, blues. I love all music ... opera, musicals,” he said.

Roth grew up in Butler, the eldest of eight, all of whom live no farther away than Clarion.

“I just love it around here. It's beautiful,” he said.

There was a brief time when Roth thought he might want the life of a traveling musician.

“In the early days I thought I would go on the road,” he said. “I was a junior in college, working six nights a week for nine months down in Pittsburgh. That was the best.”

He and his bandmates would study in a club's kitchen and drive back and forth to Indiana (Pa.) University.

“We played two weeks here and two weeks there. That was the early '70s.”

He graduated in 1974 from IUP with a degree in political science while he kept working as a musician. He went back to IUP for graduate courses in percussion and studied Middle Eastern rhythms and music at the University of Pittsburgh.

He studied brush work privately with Kenny Clarke, a drummer known as “the father of bebop drumming” who played with Dizzy Gillespie.

But any desire for the traveling lifestyle left him when he met Eileen, to whom he's been married for 35 years. She is a special-education teacher with the Intermediate Unit IV, and they have two sons, Elliot and Sam.

One of the perks of his life as a drum teacher and musician was being home during the day with the boys when they were little, as well as having time to get together as they got older.

“My wife and I have maintained different schedules,” he said.

She teaches school students during the regular work day. He teaches drum lessons mostly in the afternoons and evenings and plays gigs on weekends.

“We never did day care. When (the boys) were younger, it was great. We'd go down to Pittsburgh, to art galleries, just me and my two sons. Sam and I went down to the South Side (of Pittsburgh). There was a place there that had rocks and gems. Elliot went to Duquesne (University in Pittsburgh). We went to lunch once or twice a week.”

Sam now lives in Oakland, Calif., and Elliot in New York City, so the Roth family must schedule time to visit.

Recalling earlier times, Roth said, “I still remember I used to tell them ‘Don't go to sleep for your nap till 2:45!'”

That was because drum lessons back then couldn't start until 3 p.m. Nowadays he does teach some home-schooled and college students during the day.

In addition to having time to care for their children, another perk of the life of teacher and drummer is getting to revel in his students' successes.

Besides countless young men and women who have gone on to play in their high school and college bands, some have become teachers themselves.

Others, like one of Roth's most well-known students, Chris Steele, has worked with his band Big Dume and others in the recording, film and television industries.

Another of Roth's students, Justin Chesarek, is playing professionally in Atlanta.

To continue playing and teaching at a high level, remaining physically fit also is part of the job of a drummer.

“I ran for 18 years. I walk and jog now, and bike. I like being outside. My wife is a really good cook so I have to work out every day. And drumming is very physical, hands, feet and be mentally sharp.”

He recently turned 59 sometime between Feb. 28 and March 1, since he has a Feb. 29 leap year birthday. Next year's a big one: 15.

Another part of his job is keeping up with new music.

“I try to practice extra every day from mid-January to mid-April,” Roth said. “You can't just be a musician and not work at it.”

Practicing means going over the repertoire of all the bands he drums for and knowing the way they perform.

“I listen to all their stuff,” he said. “It's like finger painting, like a cartoon sketch, very impressionistic.”

He has done some recordings with bands as well.

After mid-April, he spends more time doing what he calls “yard yoga,” also known as gardening, so practice time goes down a bit. “I garden, pray, meditate. It's not work to me; I feel rejuvenated.”

Bracken, who is 71, feels that way about drumming.

“Sometimes I think I'm tired and I can't drag myself to do it, but I feel great after,” she said.

“I'm truly blessed,” Roth said. “That's why I meditate every day. I wake up and thank God and say sorry for not doing more.”

<B>Age:</B> 59<B>Address:</B> Butler<B>Family: </B>Wife Eileen; grown sons, Elliot and Sam<B>Employment: </B>Drum teacher and musician<B>Education: </B>Degree in political science from Indiana (Pa.) University; additional studies in percussion and Middle Eastern rhythms; private lessons with Kenny Clarke<B>Interests:</B> Bicycling, hiking, day trips<B>Quote:</B> “You can't just be a musician and not work at it.”