Drum Healer

This week, Stewart comes to the African American Research Library to teach and perform as part of the library's program for Black History Month. He'll bring along drums from Ghana, Morocco, Brazil, Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba, and New Orleans. The event is called "Rhythms of Africa" — an exhibition to demonstrate the history of drums as they migrated from Africa to the United States.

Stewart's life doesn't have all the wild thrills it once did. Does he ever miss drumming and life on the road?

"Sometimes, you do miss it," he admits. "You do miss playing out. There's a oneness when you're all together, and the message we had was so powerful and uplifting, yeah, I do miss that. But when I'm teaching students and can help people learn to play an instrument, that's a great feeling too. I think my calling is to inspire people and to show them that there's another way. You just love what you do and play music with your heart and soul. People always understand that. Music is the ultimate connection between all human beings."