Randy Gelispie

Gelispie is currently teaching at the Jazz Studies drum department at Michigan State University College of Music.

At that time, Gelispie had been a professional jazz drummer since he started playing with a 10-piece band in the ninth grade in Ohio.

In the Detroit area, he has performed with Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Tommy Flanagan, Barry Harris, Oliver Jones, O. C. Smith, Al Hibbler, and Geri Allen.

In addition, Gelispie played drums with blues musicians, including Jimmy Witherspoon, John Lee Hooker, and Big Maybelle.

Friends and collaborators include Donald Walden, Marcus Belgrave, Perry Hughes, Rodney Whitaker,[3] Gary Schunk, Rick Roe, Marion Hayden, Bill Heid,[4] and Andrew Speight.