You probably woke up today not knowing you’d be watching Michael Jackson’s drummer play a Linkin Park song. But here we are!

We love asking pro drummers to try playing a song they’ve never heard before, and Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett was gracious enough to give it a try.

But he did it differently. Rather than listening through the track first, he immediately jumped in and started playing along. What you’re watching is a true improv jam where Sugarfoot feels the song and adjusts as the song progresses.

You can tell he’s really settling in by the second verse as he pulls back on the backbeat, bringing up the energy and switching to the ride cymbal right when the chorus hits. He had to constantly guess what would be coming next.

This kind of challenge is an exercise in mental and physical creativity. Everything Sugarfoot plays is from memory, and everything he does is – in his words – “spiritual”. He’s never had a drum teacher. “I can’t read, much less write.”

According to Sugarfoot, you never know enough and you never know too much. One of the most important skills in drumming is knowing how to create and adapt on the fly.

“The drum kit is your translator, your soul and your spirit.”

If you want to learn “Numb” by Linkin Park but don’t know how to start, get the full transcription and drumless track for this song – and thousands more – in the Drumeo members area.

We’ve seen Larnell Lewis play blazing-fast triplets on a single bass drum.

And drummers like Gene Hoglan tear it up on a double bass drum kit.

But have you ever seen someone play three bass drums?

Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett – legendary sticksmith behind Michael Jackson, Madonna and Elton John – has a triple bass drum setup. With three different sizes (18″/22″/24″) tuned to three different notes, he can play melodies and chords with his feet.

At the age of 10, Sugarfoot watched a church organist’s feet dance over the pedals of a Hammond B3. Fascinated and excited by the possibilities, he eventually applied it to the drums.

“Drummers have like 8 brains in this big ol’ fat head.”

In this hour-long drum lesson, you’ll learn:

• How (and why) to play a triple bass kit
• How drums can be just as musical as a piano
• Why Sugarfoot sets up the bass drums from low note to high note instead of high to low
• Why every parent should get their child a set of drums
• How drums can be your “translator”

You’ll also watch Sugarfoot play through tracks by Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and more!

For more Jonathan Moffett love, find his course, The Grooves Of Michael Jackson, MJ drumless tracks, note-for-note transcriptions and more with a free 7-day trial to Drumeo:

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Lesson Index:
0:18 – SONG: “Escapade” by Janet Jackson
5:21 – Introduction
8:30 – The triple kick drum setup
11:39 – Melodic drumming
14:13 – How to apply it to existing songs
18:12 – Rehearsing for “This Is It”
19:51 – Triple kick drum demo (listen in stereo!) and tips
32:15 – SONG: “Emergency” by Jonathan Moffett
39:46 – The power of drums
45:44 – The “Billie Jean” groove
54:12 – SONG: “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson

Sugarfoot Plays:
DW Drums
Meinl Cymbals
Remo Drumheads

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Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett was Michael Jackson’s live drummer for 30 years, supporting the King of Pop during some of his biggest tours (including the HIStory World Tour) from the late ’70s until Michael’s death in 2009.

Michael Jackson’s hit “Billie Jean” is one of the most iconic songs of all time. In this drum cam footage, you’ll see exactly how Sugarfoot played the hit MJ song during his tenure, complete with tasty hi-hat details and that legendary pocket.

It ends with a unique drum solo that features three differently-tuned bass drums played with a single foot, and you’ll see why Jonathan Moffett earned his nickname. He also goes into his trademark behind-the-head cymbal grabs!

How to play “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson on the drums

While Sugarfoot was Michael Jackson’s beloved longtime touring drummer, it was Ndugu Chancler who appears on the original “Billie Jean” album recording. You can also hear Ndugu on “P.Y.T.” and “Baby Be Mine” from the Thriller album, and “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Bad” from the Bad album.

Click here for the “Billie Jean” sheet music

The song is 117 BPM and while it takes a pro drummer to nail the feel of this song, it’s also one of the easiest songs to learn on drums, as a beginner drummer could get through from start to finish by playing that famous steady beat.

Did you know that with a free 7-day Drumeo trial, you can get access to sheet music and practice tools for almost 50 Michael Jackson hits and 5000 other songs?

Join Drumeo free!

Who is Michael Jackson’s drummer?

Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett was Michael Jackson’s live drummer for 30 years. Originally from New Orleans, he performed on the majority of Michael’s solo tours and appearances after drumming with The Jacksons, a gig he got after a chance meeting with their musical director.

At his Jacksons audition, he played “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)” exactly like the record, which the group said no one had ever done before. The track was a complex three-part overdub, near-impossible for a single drummer to play perfectly.

Sugarfoot performed on the Jacksons’ Destiny Tour, Triumph Tour and Victory Tour, and appeared with Michael Jackson on the HIStory World Tour, 30th Anniversary Celebration concerts, the 1988 Grammy Awards and more. He was poised to drum on the This Is It tour when Michael Jackson passed away on June 25, 2009.

When Sugarfoot wasn’t available for MJ’s “Dangerous” and “Bad” tours, Ricky Lawson filled in on the throne.

Listen to this interview with Sugarfoot where he talks more about his life as a touring drummer, working with Michael Jackson and more.

His current endorsements include DW Drums, Remo Drumheads, Roland Drums and Audix Mics.

While Sugarfoot was Michael Jackson’s primary live drummer, a number of legendary drummers contributed drum tracks to his recorded catalog, including Jeff Porcaro, Leon “Ndugu” Chancler, Paulinho da Costa and John “JR” Robinson.

Where did the nickname “Sugarfoot” come from?

Jonathan Moffett is known for quick, articulate kick drum work. He impressed the Jacksons so much, they started referring to him as “Sugarfoot” – as in, his playing was sweet.

Michael Jackson shortened the nickname further, lovingly referring to his friend as “Foot”.

Check out this full lesson with Sugarfoot to learn a few of his bass drum secrets, how to create grooves using the backbeat as a foundation, and what it was like working with Michael Jackson:

0:40 – “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin” by Michael Jackson
6:00 – Drum Solo
7:30 – Introduction
10:35 – “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson
16:00 – Where did the nickname “Sugarfoot” come from?
23:16 – Jonathan’s foot technique (mental/physical aspects)
42:38 – Drum Solo #2
51:10 – Jonathan’s approach to writing drum parts
56:23 – Jonathan’s tips for beginner/intermediate drummers
1:02:30 – Q & A!
1:09:28 – Drum Solo #3
1:18:13 – “Jam” by Michael Jackson

Who else has Sugarfoot played drums with?

Aside from drumming with Michael Jackson and The Jacksons, Sugarfoot has recorded and/or toured with some of the greatest pop artists of the last 100 years including Madonna, Janet Jackson, Elton John, Lionel Richie, Cameo, George Michael, Kenny G, Doug Miller, Peter Cetera and Bill Meyers.

He toured extensively with Madonna and recorded drums for several of her albums, including “True Blue” and “Like A Prayer”.

He’s appeared on The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live and The Arsenio Hall Show, and was the drummer for Cirque du Soleil’s tribute production – Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour – which spanned 500 performances around the world over the course of several years.

Watch Sugarfoot play your favorite Michael Jackson songs

You can see the intense focus and passion Sugarfoot has for MJ’s tracks. Ever wondered exactly what Michael Jackson’s drummer was playing? Check out these playthroughs of some of his biggest hits:

My band at the time decided we wanted to play the song, and I had a knack for figuring out this kind of groove. You have to visualize the drummer actually executing it. I started learning it in slow motion. I imagined when the hi-hat had to happen, and where the steady beat came in under it. The tricky part was where the toms go, so I had to sit down and figure out, scientifically, how to keep all of these things happening without losing any beats.

To do this, I had to sneak my left hand underneath the hi-hat hand while keeping the hi-hat hand going, and then execute the tom parts: quarter notes, but in odd placements. For the second tom beat, my hand had to come back to the snare really quickly to make it happen smoothly. My ‘eureka’ moment happened when I realized the magic had to be with my left hand. I practiced and practiced until I was fluent.

In February of 1979, I’d been living in LA for a month and a half. I ran into The Jacksons’ musical director (an old friend of mine from New Orleans) on the last day of a two week period of drummer auditions. He spoke to the Jacksons that night and they decided to extend the auditions for me by one day.

At the studio, we went through a few easy Jackson 5 songs. At the end of the set, Tito says “Sugarfoot, can you play the Shake Your Body Down beat?”, looking at me like I got him now.

I immediately said “yes” and they were all shocked. “I can play that beat just like the record.” It turns out that all of the drummers who tried out couldn’t play that hit song properly.

And the Jackson brothers are all looking at each other. Randy is a drummer himself and he’s smiling, thinking nobody’s played this beat.
 

“Wait a minute, Sugarfoot… play that beat again.”

 
We start the song off, and I go into the pattern. All of a sudden, Tito sits straight up, and the other guys are looking around puzzled, smiling, and Randy comes over while I’m playing to look at my arms and legs. He grabs his mic and says “Wait, wait, stop.”

I thought to myself, I must be messing up.

Randy says, “Wait a minute, Sugarfoot…play that beat again. By yourself, though.”

I asked, “Am I doing something wrong?”

Randy says, “No, no. Just play the beat again.”

I start playing it at speed, and he stops me to ask me to play it slow–really slow–to see how I executed it. He looks at my crossing patterns, grabs his face, and says “I can’t believe it.”

I’m thinking, Oh man, I’m blowing it. They’re gonna send me home. Am I playing it wrong?

I stop.

“Sugarfoot, you don’t understand,” says Randy, smiling and grinning. “When we cut this song in the studio, the drummer couldn’t play all parts at the same time. The producer created the beat and made it tricky because he wanted it to be interesting. That was a three part overdub! It hadn’t been played all at once before.”

They start laughing and laughing. “Let’s play it again.” And we play it all the way through this time. The guys are dancing and clapping their hands–they can’t believe it.

When we finish the song, that’s when Randy grabs me and says “Sugarfoot, you’re our drummer. We want you!”

I had the honor of playing drums with The Jacksons, Diana Ross, Madonna, and many other established artists. I spent 30 years working alongside Michael Jackson — and it all started because I studied one particular song more carefully than anybody else.

Michael would tell me, “Foot, you remember everything all the time.” He was a perfectionist, and he loved when musicians did their homework.

One time during a rehearsal break, Jackie, Marlon and Randy were talking to Michael and they called me aside. “Don’t think we don’t know who’s done their homework and who hasn’t. We’re paying attention. You’re always prepared.”

You never know when you’ll need to get ready for your destiny. It could happen at any time.

Do your due diligence, learn all you can, and be ready for anything that comes up. Know what you’re there for, and study and practice.

When you’re learning a beat or a groove, visualize it — see the person working out the execution, the crossing of the hands, the pattern of the foot. You have the power to learn and figure things out.

Believe in yourself.

Your opportunity will come when you’re asked to “play that beat again”.

Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett

“Threatened” is a song from Michael Jackson’s final studio album titled Invincible. Jackson considered it to be the most laborious album to create, but all the hard work paid off when the album peaked at number one in eleven territories and hitting top ten in six others.

Please enjoy this drumming performance of “Threatened” by Michael Jackson’s very own drummer, Jonathan Moffett.
 
About Jonathan:
Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett has recorded and/or toured with some of the greatest pop artists of our time, including Elton John, Janet Jackson, The Jacksons, Cameo, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Kenny G, Doug Miller, Peter Cetera, Bill Meyers, and Cirque du Soleil, besides guest appearing at popular television shows like The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live, and The Arsenio Hall Show.

Among his biggest musical feats, none come close to his extensive work with the all-time greatest pop artists of the last 100 years: Madonna and Michael Jackson. Jonathan toured extensively with Madonna and recorded drums for several of her albums, including “True Blue” and “Like A Prayer”. As for the king of pop himself, Jonathan was his drummer for The Destiny Tour, Triumph Tour, Victory Tour, 1988 Grammy Awards with Michael, HIStory Tour, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, This Is It, & Cirque’s Immortal World Tour.

Although it probably doesn’t need any introduction, “Thriller” is the chart-topping pop tune recorded by Michael Jackson, composed by Rod Temperton, and produced by Quincy Jones. It was the seventh and final single from his album of the same name. Did you know that as of August 2018, “Thriller” has sold a total of 7.024 million copies in the United States alone?
 
About Jonathan:
Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett has recorded and/or toured with some of the greatest pop artists of our time, including Elton John, Janet Jackson, The Jacksons, Cameo, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Kenny G, Doug Miller, Peter Cetera, Bill Meyers, and Cirque du Soleil, besides guest appearing at popular television shows like The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live, and The Arsenio Hall Show.

Among his biggest musical feats, none come close to his extensive work with the all-time greatest pop artists of the last 100 years: Madonna and Michael Jackson. Jonathan toured extensively with Madonna and recorded drums for several of her albums, including “True Blue” and “Like A Prayer”. As for the king of pop himself, Jonathan was his drummer for The Destiny Tour, Triumph Tour, Victory Tour, 1988 Grammy Awards with Michael, HIStory Tour, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, This Is It, & Cirque’s Immortal World Tour.

You’ve seen all the Michael Jackson tracks Jonathan Moffett performed during his time in our studio, but now it’s time for a drum solo! In this solo, Jonathan Moffett will show off his fast foot (where do you think his nickname came from?!), two-handed hi-hat beats, melodic tom patterns, and a never-ending barrage of ghost notes. This solo has everything you’d want from the man himself.

About Jonathan:
Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett has recorded and/or toured with some of the greatest pop artists of our time, including Elton John, Janet Jackson, The Jacksons, Cameo, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Kenny G, Doug Miller, Peter Cetera, Bill Meyers, and Cirque du Soleil, besides guest appearing at popular television shows like The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live, and The Arsenio Hall Show.

Among his biggest musical feats, none come close to his extensive work with the all-time greatest pop artists of the last 100 years: Madonna and Michael Jackson. Jonathan toured extensively with Madonna and recorded drums for several of her albums, including “True Blue” and “Like A Prayer”. As for the king of pop himself, Jonathan was his drummer for The Destiny Tour, Triumph Tour, Victory Tour, 1988 Grammy Awards with Michael, HIStory Tour, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, This Is It, & Cirque’s Immortal World Tour.

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin” is the opening track for Michael Jackson’s sixth studio album “Thriller” in 1982. The song was such a commercial success that it topped the music charts in several countries and has been covered and sampled by multiple recording artists since its release. Having Jonathan Moffett in our studio to perform Michael’s hit tunes was a very special occasion and we hope you enjoy this performance.

We also recorded Jonathan playing “Smooth Criminal”, “Beat It”, “Jam”, a one-hour drum lesson (with even more MJ tunes), AND a podcast interview!

About Jonathan:
Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett has recorded and/or toured with some of the greatest pop artists of our time, including Elton John, Janet Jackson, The Jacksons, Cameo, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Kenny G, Doug Miller, Peter Cetera, Bill Meyers, and Cirque du Soleil, besides guest appearing at popular television shows like The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live, and The Arsenio Hall Show.

Among his biggest musical feats, none come close to his extensive work with the all-time greatest pop artists of the last 100 years: Madonna and Michael Jackson. Jonathan toured extensively with Madonna and recorded drums for several of her albums, including “True Blue” and “Like A Prayer”. As for the king of pop himself, Jonathan was his drummer for The Destiny Tour, Triumph Tour, Victory Tour, 1988 Grammy Awards with Michael, HIStory Tour, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, This Is It, & Cirque’s Immortal World Tour.