Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, “Little Eddie” Metz was given his first pair of drumsticks at the age of three from the drummer in his Dad’s Dixieland band. His first drum kit was a “Triple P”: Pillows, Pots, and Pans. It could be said that genetic roots had a lot to do with Eddie becoming one of the top drummers in jazz today since both his parents came from musical backgrounds.
He remembers his Dad leaving the house every Friday and Saturday night to play somewhere. The younger Metz took a liking to his Dad’s recording of Red Nichols at Marineland and would emulate the Nichols drummer, Rollie Culver. He was also influenced by Cozy Cole, Ray Bauduc, and Sonny Igoe.
At the age of 12, he played his first professional job and hasn’t stopped since. All through his high school years in Ann Arbor and three years at Eastern Michigan University in nearby Ypsilanti, Eddie worked with many southeast Michigan and regional bands. The New McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, the Easy Street Jazz Band, and Gene Mayl’s Dixieland Rhythm Kings along with many of the Detroit area jazz stars like Tom Saunders, Johnny Trudell, and Jim Dapogny utilized young Eddie’s drumming skills.
The spring of 1978 was a turning point for Eddie when, as a 20-year-old, he was contracted to play a week of shows with The Four Freshman and puppeteer Shari Lewis. That experi
