When he was on stage, perched above his band and surrounded by his drum set, Jim Donovan used to watch the Rusted Root audience.

Something would happen to fans of this renowned, beat-infused rock band as they played a set list that included beloved songs like “Send Me On My Way.” 

“It was just this ecstatic state,” he said. “People would let go and report these cathartic and emotional experiences…I wanted to understand that.”

His exploration has led to a new gig for the founding member of the three-time platinum ‘90’s band. He has begun teaching what he’s learned in drum circles.

Drummers of all skill levels are can buy a ticket — some circles are paid others free — join the circle and take part in the energy that rises when people gather to pound away on drums. 

Something magical happens, Donovan said. Anxiety decreases, energy rises, mental focus increases and relaxation occurs. Donovan says players also often become more powerfully connected to the human spirit. 

“The spiritual part was always a big part of the Rusted Root experience,” Donovan said recently during a phone interview from his home outside Pittsburgh.  

When his third child was born, after 10 years touring with Rusted Root, he knew that if he didn’t find another way to make a living, he’d miss the boy’s childhood. He decided to deep dive into the impact of drumming on those who listen and those who play.

The day after he left the band, he was offered a job as a college music instructor, which gave him the freedom to pursue a dream that would allow him to watch his children grow up. 

These days, when he’s not teaching music at St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, he’s leading drum circles.

He wants to share the joy. 

“I’ve taught over 2,500 classes since 1999, in that time I’ve started to see a lot of things happening in these groups that had nothing to do with music but a lot more to do with people and their ability to help themselves,” he explained. “If I can repeat it, that’s important. If I can teach it, I bet other people can teach it too.”

Michelle Vanstrom, a member of the Youngstown, New York, yacht club that hosted the latest circle, invited Donovan after she participated in a circle he led.

“It was so much fun,” Vanstrom said. “There was no intimidation. If you mess up, you laugh and just keep right on going.”

DeLuca writes for the Niagara Falls, New York, Gazette.