[1] Drum Workshop was founded in 1972 as a teaching studio by Don Lombardi.

Alongside student John Good, Lombardi began a small drum equipment sales operation to cover the studio's operation costs.

[3] DW expanded into larger facilities in Oxnard, California, and grew to oversee a new company, Pacific Drums and Percussion, a company offering lower-priced drum sets.

[4] In November, 2019, DW acquired Slingerland Drum Company from Gibson, with plans to introduce Slingerland-branded, vintage style drums to the market in 2020.

[5][6] In late 2022, it was announced that Roland would acquire DW for $65 million as the company looks to expand into the acoustic drum market.