FACES
Ryan Hamilton
By Andrew King
When Ryan Hamilton was just a few years old , if he wanted to let off some steam , he would just head down to the basement of his family ’ s Markham , ON home . There , amidst a floor virtually covered in drum gear , were three kits set up in a row . On the left was his father ’ s extensive Yamaha Recording Custom kit . On the right , a vintage ‘ 70s Gretsch kit . Right in the middle , at a fraction of the size , was Hamilton ’ s cherry red junior kit with high-hats and a crash . Indeed , there are perks that come with your family operating one of the country ’ s top full-fledged percussion shops .
Hamilton ’ s father , Dave , is the owner of Toronto ’ s Just Drums , and as such , Ryan grew up immersed in music . “ I have clear memories growing up with there always being music on ,” he says emphatically . “ Led Zeppelin , Huey Lewis , James Brown , The Beatles … You name it .”
Of course , the basement full of drum equipment didn ’ t deter him on his journey . “ My music education definitely came from my dad ,” he says , and from his early years banging away on his miniature set-up , it was all music , all the time , with some sports tossed in for good measure . “ I was always buying tapes and CDs , taking drum lessons , going to concerts – just a full blown love of music .”
Oddly enough , even though the family business was based in the MI industry , Hamilton ’ s first foray into the music business was as a road rep for Warner Music Canada , visiting record shops throughout Southern Ontario and chatting up the label ’ s latest releases . “ I did that while attending school and earning a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing at the University of Guelph ,” he explains .
After graduation , he did some travelling before coming home to work at Just Drums . At that point , the store had been a staple of Yonge Street for over 20 years , and Ryan came onboard as the shop was in the process of moving to a larger location . “ What was initially maybe going to be a year or two [ at the store ] seamlessly turned into 10 ,” he says . “ It was through my time at Just Drums that I learned about running a business , our crazy drum industry , and the Canadian music industry as a whole . I obviously became pretty familiar with Yamaha and how they do business during my time there , too .”
In early 2016 , the product marketing manager position for drums opened up at Yamaha Canada Music , and though Hamilton wasn ’ t actively seeking a new job , he couldn ’ t ignore the calling . “ It presented a challenge and future that really excited me ,” he admits . “ I knew drums , I knew the Canadian retail market , I had a ton of contacts in the industry , and it was one of the few opportunities that hooked me enough to think I could leave a solid family business . A tough choice , for sure , but one that was met with incredible family support and encouragement .”
Hamilton currently divides his time managing Yamaha ’ s acoustic and electric drum products and Paiste cymbals , maintaining proper inventory levels , running promotions , and anything else that maintains a high level of exposure for the brands and products . He ’ s also actively involved in artist relations , supporting Yamaha Canada ’ s extensive roster of endorsers .
Hamilton says he enjoys working within such a “ supportive culture ” with so many musically-minded people . “ It ’ s far less ‘ corporate ’ than you would think , and it ’ s been a pleasure being part of an organization which clearly has a team mentality .”
Though it ’ s only been a year-and-ahalf since he adopted his post , there have already been some significant highlights for Hamilton , including a Canadian dealer trip to Yamaha ’ s facilities in China and Japan in the fall of 2016 . “ The idea was to see first-hand the quality and precision of the manufacturing , and to truly experience Japanese culture ,” he shares . “ It was a phenomenal experience and an incredible chance for me to jumpstart my new role and forge some quality relationships .”
Hamilton also enjoys travelling outside of work with his wife , Kelsi . The two reside together in the Riverside area of Toronto . “ She ’ s a big music lover , too , so we always try to have a concert on the calendar .” They also like going to the movies and enjoying a good meal , whether it ’ s at one of Toronto ’ s many hotspots or in their own dining room . “ I love to cook ,” Hamilton says , “ and it seems like we ’ re always planning that next getaway or even just the next restaurant to check out .” He keeps active with hockey in the winter , softball in the summer , and hits the links whenever he gets the chance .
Looking ahead , Hamilton is excited about the arrival of Yamaha ’ s Tour Custom drums , which he ’ ll be heavily pushing into the Canadian market along with some special projects in accordance with this being Yamaha Drums ’ 50 th anniversary year .
On the personal side , Hamilton admits he ’ s both “ excited and a little petrified ” as he and his wife are currently awaiting the arrival of not one , but two “ potential little drummer boys or girls .”
That raises the question : just how many drum sets will be set up in his basement in the coming years ?
Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Music Trade .
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CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE