Adonis Stone, a senior at Hoover, is a musician and student leader in the Hoover Tornado Marching Band. He marched for Blue Devils B, a world-class Drum Corps, during the summer of 2025 and intends to make the percussion of HTMB thrive for his final high school season.

Stone is often recognized by his peers for his intense dedication to drumming, an interest that developed early on in his life and escalated rapidly during his freshman year at Hoover.

“It must’ve been how much my dad exposed me to music… [He] would show me countless videos of great drummers like Dave Weckl and Steve Gadd and I was just drawn in,” said Stone. “I only really started to take it seriously during freshman year, though.”

The drive that pushed Stone in his freshman year is what helped him earn his spot on the tenor drums as a sophomore. Eventually, things would change for him after making it into Blue Devils B as an upcoming senior. BDB, an open class drum corps that showcases performers ages 15-19, commonly feeds into the acclaimed Blue Devils.

“Marching [Drum Corps International] was something that I’ve been dreaming of since freshman year, so it really was like a dream come true when my name was said at the end of the day as part of the ‘official cast,’” Stone said. “Especially somewhere like the Blue Devils family, which I’ve looked up to since Toll.”

Melissa Campbell, the band director at Hoover, watched Stone’s musicianship and character develop first hand.

“It’s been really exciting to see him participate in this activity that’s so much bigger than a high school band. I’m glad he auditioned and worked hard to get a spot in Blue Devils B,” said Campbell. “He’s someone I really see continuing on with the activity and maybe marching indoor someday…and really making a name for himself.”