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Can't beat it: Pembroke drummer, 11, enjoying star status after TV appearance

Pembroke sixth-grader Daniel Banks, an accomplished drummer, was a guest on the "Late Show with David Letterman" last week.

By ANNE TRAFTON
The Patriot Ledger

PEMBROKE - Since his late-night television appearance last week, sixth-grader Daniel Banks has become the biggest celebrity at the Hobomock Elementary School.

He may even be the biggest celebrity in town, his friend Tyler Kinsherf says .

‘‘He's the only famous person from Pembroke,'' according to Tyler.

But Daniel's fame is not confined to his hometown. The day after he wowed a national audience with his drum performance on the ‘‘Late Show with David Letterman,'' dozens of people on the streets of New York City recognized him.

‘‘I was walking around and people were like: ‘You're that kid that was on the David Letterman show,''' Daniel said yesterday at his Pembroke home.

When he got home from his weeklong stay in New York, Daniel had 147 E-mails from well-wishers, and radio stations as far away as California have asked him to do interviews.

Daniel, 11, admits that he was a bit nervous walking onto the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theater, where the show is taped, but felt much better once he started talking with Letterman.

‘‘It was fun to talk to him,'' Daniel said. ‘‘He was really nice.''

The two chatted for several minutes, touching on topics such as Pembroke's chilly weather and Daniel's skill with the drums, which he started playing at the age of 5.

After the interview, Daniel played ‘‘I Got My Mojo Workin''' with the CBS Late Night Orchestra.

But an impromptu performance during a commercial break - a drum-off with the show's drummer, Anton Fig - was the musical highlight, said Daniel's mother, Christine Banks.

‘‘The crowd was going mad,'' she said. ‘‘They really liked it.''

Although Daniel was awed by the show's musicians, the band was equally impressed with his talent. Bandleader Paul Shaeffer, who referred to Daniel as a child prodigy, told him during rehearsals that he would be the next Buddy Rich, Daniel's mother said.

Daniel says his favorite music is the blues. He plays in the Moondance Blues Band, which has gigs around the South Shore, and he has played at clubs in Boston and Chicago.

While in New York, he played at the BB King Blues Club and the Liberty Heights Tap Room in Brooklyn.

The young drummer may not be a household name yet, but his schoolmates at the Hobomock School think it's pretty cool to see one of their own on television.

‘‘He's a really good drummer, and he's very funny,'' fourth-grader Nicole Kinsherf said.

The day after his performance, Daniel talked to his sixth-grade class by phone. Most of the boys wanted to know how much money he made for appearing on the show - it's between $500 and $700, which he hasn't received yet - and one girl asked him to buy her a diamond necklace.

‘‘They were all cheering me on,'' Daniel said.

Anne Trafton may be reached at atrafton@ledger.com.