For the past two and a half years Cora Coleman-Dunham has been fulfilling her drumming dreams as part of Prince’s latest band–which also includes her husband Joshua Dunham on bass. (The couple has played together since high school.) Cora says she’s had a few especially memorable experiences with Prince, including a rain-soaked Super Bowl performance, a TV commercial, and playing on his new CD, Planet Earth. No question, Cora’s come a long way since winning Guitar Center’s Drum-Off competition in 2002, shortly after her move from Houston, Texas to California.

MD caught up with Cora one afternoon while she was on break from rehearsal at Prince’s Paisley Park studios in Minneapolis. The band’s been playing week-long dates in Las Vegas, Hollywood, and Long Island’s Hamptons before heading over to Europe. “Playing with Prince is an adventure,” Cora smiles. “I’m always learning something new.”

Regarding her hook-up with Prince, the drummer explains, “I was playing with keyboardist Frank McComb when Prince saw me play for the first time. I didn’t know he was there until a break between sets, and we had a good conversation about gear and quality music and where the industry is going.” Advertisement

For more on Cora, visit her Web site at www.coracolemandunhamcom.

Billy Amendola