LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A South Plains College commercial music graduate has beaten out thousands of drummers nationwide to secure a spot in the final round of the 2026 Guitar Center Drum-Off in Hollywood.
Jake Ward, a 2023 SPC graduate and current BYU undergraduate in Provo, Utah, will compete against five other finalists on Aug. 20 at the historic Fonda Theatre in Hollywood.
Ward’s path to the finals required advancing through three competitive rounds, starting with an initial video submission, progressing to a live performance in Denver and finally winning a regional competition in Hollywood…