During the mid 1980's an undergraduate student from Middle Tennessee State University, Erik T, Johnson started to make his own personal mallets in order to achieve the sound he wanted when playing and reduce expenses for his studies. As he progressed through the late 1980s, Johnson created the Fields Series FS150, FS250, and FS350 through extensive experiments with raw materials. In 1991. Johnson graduated from the University of North Texas and moved back to Tennessee with ideas to start a company, He recruited friends and students to help with the making. He became a faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University and taught McGavock High School percussion, Riverdale High School percussion, Nite Express Drum & Bugle Corps, and private lessons to assist with finances. He recruited a college student Chris Long to help and influential performers to endorse his state of the art mallets to audiences, educators, and future educators across the country. Johnson would market the Concert Series FS150, FS250, FS350, and TD500 and create the first Innovative Percussion logo. In 1992, Chris Long joined Innovative Percussion as a mallet craftsman and the Drum Corps would start showing its interest in using the company's mallets. In 1993, Innovative Percussion, Inc. was established as a corporation and introduced its first signature product, the Soloist Series, which is a four model mallet series.
In 1995, Erik Johnson would join the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps as the Front Ensemble Consultant and would create new mallet models such as the Rattan Series RS201 and RS301 along with Field Series additions RFS320 and RFS420. He would also add a 5th mallet to the Soloist Series, the IP240 which would be the most popular mallet in company history. In 1997, the new and current Innovative Percussion, Inc. logo would be created and James Ross joins the corporation to assists in developing the first orchestral mallets. He would help with the new product models ENS60(R), FS550(R), FS650(R), ENS760(R. In 1999, George Barrett would be hired as Chief Executive Officer to assist in increasing domestic and international sales, as well as Ethan Chastain, Robin Engelman.
From 2000 to 2005, Innovative Percussion would create many milestones such as establishing open relations with international customers in Asia and Europe followed by Australia and Canada. Also, Bret Kuhn Signature Model FS-BK is IP’s first marching signature stick product along with other pioneering stick products included IP-1, FS-1, TS-1. James Campbell, Lalo Davila, and Paul Rennick would all have their signature drum sticks launched by Innovative Percussion. In 2003, Ed Soph would join the family and help design the first Drumset sticks. Janis Potter and Innovative Percussion would develop a new five- mallet series and Jim Casella Signature Model Field Series Snare Drumstick FS-JC is launched. In 2012, Innovative Percussion registers "IP" logo and would enter partnership with WGI. IP would continue on to create new products and still are even to this day.
The source I used was Innovative Percussion's official website. I knew that this source was reliable because it gave professional help from the corporation and also provides a current news tab showing that the website is updated recently. Even though I am not a drummer, when I picked up a pair of my friend's drumsticks, I felt amazing and had great sound quality. Innovative Percussion will continue to break boundaries and support many drumline groups around the world.
Innovative Percussion, Inc. "About Us - Innovative Percussion." About Us - Innovative Percussion. Innovative Percussion, Inc., n.d. Web. 13 May 2016.
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| 1991 logo |
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| created in 1997, current logo |
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| created in 2012, also a current logo |
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