A Gardendale native has taken the path less traveled… for a girl, anyway.

Mallory Durham, 21, is living her dream by playing a bass drum for the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band.

It all started when Durham was in sixth grade at Gardendale Elementary School. (Sixth grade is now at Bragg Middle School.) Durham was in the Rocking Rockets choir with Jenny Thompson, when Thompson directed her student in a different musical direction.

“She walked me over to the bandroom to audition (at Bragg),” Durham said. “I kind of purposely did bad on all the other instruments. But I made perfect on the drums.”

Durham’s parents were a little surprised by their daughter’s choice.

“I assumed she was going to play the flute,” said Durham’s mother, Bethnee. “She weighed less than 100 pounds then — and not much more than that, still — so naturally I assumed she would want to play something very lightweight and small. Ha! No way! … I was shocked, but oh so proud of her desire to be a drummer.”

Durham recalls her mother reacting positively.

“She was ecstatic when I told her,” Durham said. “She’s always been so supportive.”

Earning 15 of 15 possible points on her drum audition at Bragg, where Carol Jacobs was band director, set the tone for Durham. She remains competitive when it comes to music.

She played snare drum for three years at Gardendale High School and quads one year, under the direction of Tracy Starnes, even serving as captain of the drum line.

“That helped me gain a sense of confidence because I had to be a leader,” Durham said.

Throughout high school, the University of Alabama band was always in Durham’s sights.

“After I graduated from Gardendale, I knew I wanted to at least try to go out for the marching band at Alabama,” she said. When watching the band on television, she saw a girl playing the bass drum. She later learned it was Amanda Johnson.

“I saw her and thought, there’s a girl on the drum line. I guess it’s possible,” Durham said.

Her first year, Durham auditioned on the snare drum at the university.

“I thought I was ready for it,” she said. She had been practicing daily and driving to Tuscaloosa to practice with Neal Flum, who teaches the drum line at UA.

“It was intense. I came and there were all the veterans. Everybody has to re-audition each year just to keep the talent and skill levels high,” she said

Durham said it was intimidating seeing “all these big guys” there auditioning on the snare.

“I was shy, but energetic and outgoing,” Durham said. “I was just wanting to get down to business and play my drum.”

Durham didn’t play the snare drum at UA that year; she played the marimba.

She tried again for snare her second year, and got assigned to the bass drum.

Durham took a break her third year of school to focus on class. This year she auditioned with the bass drum, and made the cut.

Her first two years on the UA drum line were a little lonely, because she didn’t know anyone from home.

This year, however, there are two familiar faces from her days at Gardendale High School: Zack Flippo and Cody Peek.

Durham had no doubts about wanting to be a member of the Million Dollar Band, but, like many others, it took her a little longer to decide on a major.

She started out with an undeclared major, because, after all, “the marching band is why I came here in the first place,” she said.

Durham changed her major to nutrition, then to business. After struggling with classes she came to a conclusion: “I really don’t have a business mind.”

On a weekend visit home, Durham’s mother suggested social work. Durham thought it over and decided it was a good fit.

“I just wanted something that tuned in on my skills and interests,” she said. “It all boils down to, I want to help people help themselves.”

In the meantime, Durham will tune in on her skills on the drum line.

“To play music takes me out of anything that’s bothering me. It’s a huge stress reliever to bang away on the drums,” Durham said. “I feel like it’s a perfect fit. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Durham is the daughter of Alan and Bethnee Durham. Alan is a lieutenant with the Gardendale Fire Department and is a member of the Graysville Fire Department, and Bethnee teaches first grade at Gardendale Elementary School. Her brother, Trevor Durham, just graduated from Gardendale High School.