Cope Veronee Cope Veronee can beat his drums with the best of them, and has. His long and distinguished career includes playing in some of the top bands of his day.

For the past 25 years, he has played for Columbia seniors, 14 years at Arsenal Hill, the last 11 years at the Capital Senior Center.

"Cope Veronee - This Is Your Life!"

At the Capitol Senior Center in late June, that proclamation rang out and a celebration began for the 92nd birthday of the Center's favorite musician, Cope Veronee.

The longtime jazz and swing musician was awed at the tribute. "I never expected a party. I'm here because it's what I love doing," says the star percussionist of the Dancetimers Band. He made his debut at age 7 playing a harmonica in his native Charleston. Now percussion is his specialty.

"I went to Newberry College to study music in the 1930s. The department was small, in a little house on campus, but I got excellent instruction in piano and music theory. Now their music department is much larger, and really outstanding.

"On the occasion of the college's 150th anniversary, they presented me an award for my career in music.

"Before I could get a college degree or a career in a band, the Army got me, and I was off to WWII. I was stationed in New Guinea and was supposed to be a medic, but I wound up taking part in a lot of USO and other shows.

"My family had other musicians. My uncle played bass horn in a Sousa band and bass fiddle in the Philadelphia Symphony. His son directed the U.S. Marine President's Band. "

"I had never had a percussion lesson," he said. "I signed up for some in Philadelphia, and when the instructor heard me beating out rumba and Latin rhythms, he made a pact with me. I taught him Latin beats, and he taught me traditional percussion for free."

Veronee can rattle off many well- known names of bands he has played with. The Paul Specht Band, Don Bigelow (on CBS Radio), Harold Knight, Bob Aster at Roseland Ballroom, George Hall at the Taft Hotel Ballroom. Veronee toured with Glen Gray and his Casa Loma Band and met the legendary Gene Krupa. In Columbia, he played with the Jimmy Farr Orchestra and the Ed Crosby Band.

Marriage brought about a 180- degree change in Veronee's life. A life on the road touring with dance bands was no way to ahve a family. He left the music circuit and worked at Pet Dairy in Columbia, rising to management before his retirement.

Now his time is his own, and he can spend it doing what he has always loved: making music with his wife Edna at his side still.

He's at the Capitol Senior Center every Friday night, along with his band- mates Ralph Goodwin, Buzz Pleming, and Ed McCravey.