I am Jacobi Gunter, from Columbia SC, born 2 lbs. 7 ounces, with a rare kidney disorder called “Barter’s Syndrome. I started playing drums at the age of 18 months, and have continued to play ever since. I have had many favorable opportunities. Just to name a few: at 15 I was the youngest person chosen to be a part of the NBA Charlotte Bobcats drum team, who are now The Charlotte Hornets. The drum team consisted of a group of talented drummers providing drumming entertainment for the fans as they entered the arena. Before the audition, they asked me my age. When I told them, they stated that I was to young, as the minimum was 18 years old. I still auditioned that day, and they made an exception.

Later on, at 17 years old, I was asked to do a half time solo performance during the Bobcats (Now Hornets) VS Lakers game. In 2013, the organization decided not to script the drum team in to the entertainment for the upcoming year. However, in 2014 I was asked to come back as a solo Artist to perform center court (every Wednesday game) for the team’s introduction. My ULTIMATE interest is playing drums. During my down time, as I complete my education, my passion and gift is to continue inspiring drummers of all ages.

Along the way, he won the Percussive Arts Society’s Larrie Londin Memorial Scholarship for five consecutive years. Jacobi was chosen by Questlove to represent the South East Region in the Zildjian DrummerLove Contest and won that year. In 2015, he was a Stellar Award Nominated as featured drummer on a traditional gospel album. Jacobi continues to record and perfect his craft, releasing his first single in 2017 called DUI (Drumming Under the Influence). In 2018, DUI was accepted by the Recording Academy for voting members to nominate DUI (Drumming Under The Influence)for the GRAMMY’s. He has been blessed with endorsements and artist relationships with Doc Sweeney Drums, Schnell Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, and Aquarian Drum heads. He is thrilled to be an instructor, learning teaching and allowing students to have fun while playing the drums. His influences include John Blackwell, Papa Jo Jones, Dom Famularo, David Garibaldi, Lars Ulrich, Rick Allen, and Chad Smith. Jacobi values giving back to his community and is driven by his faith in God and Love of family. Nothing excites him more than creating and traveling down his own path that’s placed before him.