Faustine Hudson
Drummer, Musician, Drum Medicine Practitioner, Drum Maker

With 34 years of drumming experience, my rhythmic journey began at the age of 8. Little did I know then, the drums and the words “Let it Happen” written in black sharpie on the snare drum back in 1990 would be one of the most profound teachers, lessons and allies I would experience. Over the years, I’ve performed and recorded with artists such as Damien Jurado, The Maldives, Josiah Johnson, Chain and the Gang, Grizzled Mighty, Shelby Earl, Lydia Ramsey, and Mikey & Matty. While these experiences have been creatively fulfilling, drumming has also become a deeply intuitive practice—one that connects me to myself and the communities I serve.

In 2016, I made my first frame drum—a 16” Cedar Rim, Buffalo Hide with Deer Hide used to string the back—which marked a turning point in my relationship with this ancient instrument. That moment opened a deeper path, guiding me into a more intimate connection with my ancestral roots and the drum’s role as a tool for healing. The frame drum, one of the oldest known percussion instruments, has been used across many cultures, including by my own ancestors from England, Northwest Europe, and Germanic regions. My ancestors used ceremonial drums - the Sami drum and the Bodhrán drum traditionally as a way to enter trance states, connect with spiritual realms, and support personal transformation.

In recent years, I’ve been called inward—deepening my meditation practice and shifting my work toward healing and soul-level expression. I approach drumming as medicine, offering space for others to explore their own inner edges. There’s no right or wrong way—only your own unfolding, in your own time.

My path weaves together rhythm, presence, and embodied being—an ongoing exploration of how music can help us return to ourselves.