Clifford Darrett (Percussionist) - Born and raised in Evansville, Indiana. After

graduation from High School enlisted and served 6 years in the United States Air Force.

Honorably discharged at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, he started working for General

Motors in Dayton, Ohio and worked and retired after 32 years of service. He started his

musical career in the US Air force as a drummer on the weekends; he would also play a

lot of his father's percussion instruments at home (father was a percussionist in

Evansville). Before retiring in 1998, the percussion bug bit him, and he started taking

private lessons, with a professional percussionist (Carlos "Sal" Salaz) at Hauer Music in

Dayton. He studied with Sal for a year and a half, and became familiar with Congas,

Shakeres, Bongos, Cowbells, Guiros and many other Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian and

Afro-Puerto Rican instruments. He has also attended many workshops and clinics that

specialize in Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian instruments, rhythms and folklore.