Drumming began for me at the age of 14 .  I spent most of my high school after hours on my drums practicing.

My early influences were Sandy Nelson, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Joe Morello & many more.

I took drum lessons early on, and then as a student in Community College, I studied with Dick Howard in Auburn NY. In 1973 I took lessons from Norman Grossman @ The Professional Percussion Center in NYC, for a year.

I began playing in local bands through high school & college.

After teaching 1 year at a High School, I went full time as a musician and began playing in a Rock band named Dove  based out of Syracuse NY. From there I played in a number of regionally popular groups such as C.R.A.C., Duke Jupiter , Apple Jazz Band, & my 1st band as Band Leader,  Dave Hanlon's Funky Jazz Band, and in 1983, I formed Dave Hanlon's Cookbook.

Some of my career highlights have been doing 2 drum clinics with the late, great, world renown Louis Bellson, being included in the Zildjian Cymbal Catalog of Famous Drummers, Recording  2 albums with Duke Jupiter on Mercury Records, An Album with CRAC now  re-released on KINGUNDERGROUND records from England, in 2019.

I have had the great fortune to be involved filming & recording over 70 episodes of Studio Jams & Lest WE Forget Musicians Serie found on YouTube. These have  generated over 6 Million Views.

I was nominated for the 2015, 2016, 2017, & 2018 Studio Jams Most Inspiring Drummer Award, and winning 2015 Award. 

It has been a thrill to receive the Hall Of Fame Awards in Syracuse & Rochester. Cookbook has also had the good fortune to receive 3 separate Sammy Awards.

I'm Currently Drumming with:

Dave Hanlon's Funky Jazz Band (www.funkyjazzband.com) and the

Dave Hanlon Trio.

I continue to teach privately in my Drum Studio, and perform in  multiple musical projects.

Drumming & teaching continues to be a wonderful journey for me.