Prodigies simply don’t possess skills more prodigious than Tony Royster Jr.

Born in Berlin, Germany, on Oct. 8, 1984, Royster was drumming by the time he was 3, and a champion before he hit puberty. In 1995, at the age of 11, he won the Guitar Center National Drum-off competition in Hollywood. At 16, he was voted No. 1 Up and Coming Drummer by readers of Modern Drummer magazine, and was No. 2 in the U.K. readers’ poll.

There simply isn’t much behind a drum kit that he can’t do.

He’s proficient in numerous styles, routinely showcasing his skills in funk, R&B, Latin, rock and jazz. Royster is known for his use of the Moeller method of drumming, not to mention spectacular speed with both his hands and feet.

Just 23 years old in 2007, he’s already played in the bands Imajin, Lazyeye, Imajin New Flava and En Vogue, performed on the 42^nd annual Grammy Awards broadcast, and went on tour when he was 17 with No. 1 selling Asian artist Hikaru Utada. He’s also been the drummer for bandleader Paul Shaffer (of David Letterman fame) in the Nickelodeon house band. He’s played with accomplished percussionists in Dennis Chambers, Billy Cobham, Steve Smith, Sheila E. and Chester Thompson, and also has backed music notables such as Branford Marsalis, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Royster is regularly invited to perform at percussion events worldwide, including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the Modern Drummer Festival, the Montreal Drumfest and the Florida Drum Expo.

Endorsements for Royster include DW drums, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, Evans drumheads, LP percussion, Drumframe, Shure microphones, Warner Bros. Publications, HQ percussion products, Drumometer and Specialty Cases.