For most people handling one full-time job is more than enough, but not fast facts for Harold Cummings – CEO of Miami’s Drummer Boy Sound Productions by day, and police officer by night.
To say Cummings is a busy man is putting it very mildly, but while his work doesn’t allow for much in terms of down time, it does offer him a unique opportunity to indulge his passion for sound reinforcement and business, and to give back to his community.
Born in Queens and bred in Huntsville, AL, Cummings studied music from an early age, playing violin, viola, piano, trumpet, baritone and drums. While music has been an important part of his life, he has never aspired to be a professional musician. Instead he aimed for a career as a doctor, taking pre med studies at a Miami area college.
Following college he switched gears. For four years he worked in the financial sector, but soon discovered the monotony of a 9-5 gig wasn’t for him. “I hated the fact that I went to the same place every day. It drove me crazy,” he says.
Looking for more variety in his work life, he applied to become a police officer. Still he wanted more, and eventually decided to take on another challenge, taking what was a part-time passion for audio production, and turning it into a career unto itself.
Cummings made Miami his permanent home in 1985, and 15 or so years later, became heavily involved in musical production at his local church, recording the praise band, sourcing equipment for performances, as well as fulfilling the role of resident drummer.
That, he explains, was where the inspiration to form DBS originated – that, and being nicknamed “Drummer Boy” by his wife Tangela.
The name stuck, and since 2003, DBS has been very much a family affair. Both DBS and Tangela’s business, Admarde Solutions, are housed in the same facility, and both spouses serve as vice presidents in the other’s company.
The businesses also feed one another’s client base; Admarde offering graphic and web design services for various events, and DBS providing all manner of audio and production services for them. As both enterprises have grown, the addition of a third company, Admardécor Event Design, has allowed them to become a one-stop provider of design solutions, event infrastructure and production services for clients planning events ranging in size from 50 to 15,000 people.
Cummings is very hands-on at DBS, taking the audio chops he honed at his church and getting behind the board at the shows he provides gear for whenever and wherever the need arises. While his dual full-time jobs provide him with the variety of experience he craves, they also keep him extremely busy, but his schedule does allow him a fair bit of flexibility.
The two jobs and DBS’ steady growth have enabled consistent reinvestment to acquire new gear and steadily grow the client base. The audio inventory was originally housed in the Cummings home, then moved to external storage spaces, and within 18 months, Harold began shopping around for a warehouse/office space. This quest led to the current 3,000-square-foot renovated facility they’ve occupied since 2006.
One of few companies in Florida offering such a comprehensive set of event services, DBS has provided production and infrastructure for artists including Rihanna, Mario, T-Pain, and Robin Thicke, and at landmark venues like Sobe Live, The Versace Mansion and a variety of festival venues.
The staff has grown to four full-time and four part-time employees, and now, after incorporating the event design and planning group into the fold, once again the company is bursting at the seams.
