BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — Six-year-old Adrian Perkins was four when he picked up some drumsticks and he's been rocking to the beat of his own drum ever since.
New Revelation Baptist Church in Brownsville, Tennessee has a 6-year-old keeping the tempo for the congregation.
His name is Adrian Perkins Jr. or as his father calls him, AJ.
"I make a lot of beats," said AJ.
He is a little man of few words, but his drumming, which comes from a big heart, speaks volumes.
"It's just amazing. I'm thankful number one. One thing I always wanted was for his gift to be shared with the world. I want him to be an inspiration to other kids that's growing up," said Adrian Perkins Sr.
He is the Minister of Music for the church.
"I think back to when I was his age and I don't think I was doing any of the things that he's doing now," said Perkins Sr. "It's just a great feeling to know that your son is growing up in your footsteps."
Adrian's curiosity stole the rhythm of his heart at age four.
"We would go out to the church and he would practice. Some things he would say, 'Daddy, it's just too hard.' I would tell him. I would say, 'AJ, just keep watching the videos and keep practicing and it'll come to you.' The next time, he would go out to practice and he would have it. It would just come to him,'" said Perkins Sr.
So how does he do it?
AJ said, "I just think about it!"
Sure, he makes it sound so easy.
"Well, I started getting bigger and bigger. I started watching something in church and watching my cousin play and my daddy play and my other cousin play on the guitar," said AJ.
As we know, practice makes perfect. That is what AJ tells his friends.
"Tell them you can be a drummer. If you get all the way bigger like me, you can be a drummer....Girls can be drummers. Boys can be drummers. Anyone can be a drummer like me," said AJ.
"One thing he's always said is he wants to play for his granddaddy, which is my dad. He's the pastor of the church. It's just three generations right there together," said Perkins Sr.
"My grandpa stands up sometimes...sit down. Stand up," said AJ.
That is a standing ovation for a kid who finds comfort in every beat.
"I feel great like God is keeping me safe," said AJ.
He also dabbles a little with the keyboard and is planning on picking up a guitar.
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