A 25-Year Drum Lesson Journey: Anthony "Prego" Cracchiolo & Jake "The Snake" Herring
Some student-teacher relationships last a semester. Some last a few years.
The relationship between Anthony Cracchiolo and Jake "The Snake" Herring has lasted more than two decades—and along the way, it has caught the attention of Philadelphia regional media, members of the United States Congress, and even the Governor of Pennsylvania.
This is their story.
Where It Started
Jake Herring has autism. When he first came to Anthony as a young student, he faced significant challenges—fine and gross motor difficulties, learning disabilities, and the everyday obstacles that come with navigating the world on the autism spectrum. What he also had was an interest in drums.
Anthony met him exactly where he was. Lessons began slowly, deliberately—building the most fundamental coordination and rhythm skills one step at a time, with the kind of patience that only comes from a teacher who genuinely believes in what a student can become. There was no fixed curriculum, no predetermined pace. There was only Jake, and whatever he was ready for that day.
What followed was not a short-term intervention or a therapeutic experiment. It was a commitment—one that has now lasted over twenty years and is still going.
From Fundamentals to the Stage
Over the course of two decades, Jake progressed from the most basic drumming fundamentals to performing live in a band across multiple musical genres and at local venues. His mother Nancy Herring has described watching Jake "mature and grow as an adult" through the drumming experiences Anthony has provided—not just as a musician, but as a person.
As Jake put it himself when speaking to Philadelphia's ABC News: "I have autism and it's hard for me to do stuff. But it's easy for me to drum."
That sentence tells the whole story. In the space of drumming—in the structure of rhythm, the feel of sticks in hand, and the consistency of a lesson with someone he trusts—Jake found something that is his own. Anthony gave him the framework, the time, and the belief. Jake did the rest.
Featured on Philadelphia's 6abc News: Jake's Story Goes Regional
Click above for the 6ABC news item. “Every day, Herring is living out his childhood dream of becoming a drummer. And he has his lifelong instructor, Anthony Cracchiolo, to thank for some help along the way.”
In September 2023, the story of Anthony and Jake was featured by Philadelphia’s 6abc.com, one of the most-watched local news outlets in the greater Philadelphia region.
Community Journalist Matteo Iadonisi profiled the pair, documenting Jake's journey from student to performer and highlighting the role Anthony's patient, long-term instruction played in making it possible.
The coverage drew wide attention across the Philadelphia area and brought recognition to something Anthony had simply been doing quietly for decades: showing up, week after week, for a student who needed—and deserved—an instructor who wouldn't give up on him.
Read the full 6abc story: "Pa. man with autism becomes drumming star with help of lifelong coach"
Giving Back: The VA Hospital Donation Drive
In January 2025, 6abc's Matteo Iadonisi returned to cover the donation drive, once again featuring Anthony, Jake, and the community they have built around a shared love of music and a commitment to their neighbors. Read the full 6abc story: "Music teacher drums up support for veterans in need."
By January of 2026, the broader Philadelphia news media took note of the good work being done by the team of students, friends, and family of Anthony and Jake, resulting in coverage on CBS3 and Fox29, among others.
Anthony and Jake's partnership extends well beyond the drum kit. Each year, the two team up with a growing group of Anthony's students and their families to run a donation drive in support of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Coatesville, Pennsylvania—bringing warmth and comfort to veterans in need, particularly around the holidays.
What began as a modest initiative has grown year over year, with more students, more families, and more donations joining each cycle. It is a reflection of something Anthony has always emphasized in his teaching: that music is not just a skill to develop, but a platform from which to make a positive difference in the world around you.
A Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from U.S. Rep Chrissy Houlihan
The impact of Anthony and Jake's story reached Washington, D.C. U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlihan, who represents Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District—covering portions of Chester and Berks Counties, the same region where Anthony teaches—presented Anthony and Jake with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in honor of their work together and their contributions to their community.
A Congressional recognition certificate is not a routine distinction. It is issued to individuals whose contributions to their community are considered worthy of formal acknowledgment by a member of the United States House of Representatives. For a drum teacher and his student, it speaks to the depth of what they have built—and the ripple effects it has had on the people around them.
A Personal Letter from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
Jake's drumming journey also earned him a personal letter of congratulations from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro—a recognition of the extraordinary progress Jake has made and the inspiration his story offers to others across the Commonwealth.
Few drummers—student or professional—can say their playing has earned the attention of the Governor of Pennsylvania. Jake can. And behind that achievement is twenty-plus years of consistent, patient, belief-driven instruction from Anthony Cracchiolo.
What Jake’s Story Means for Your Student
Jake's journey is not a one-of-a-kind outcome. It is a demonstration of what becomes possible when a student with special needs is paired with an instructor who has the patience, the skill, and the long-term commitment to meet them where they are—every single week, for as long as it takes.
Anthony brings that same approach to every student he works with. He does not have a finish line in mind for any of them. He has a direction — and he walks it alongside each student, at their pace, on their terms.
If your student has special needs, learning differences, motor challenges, or simply hasn't found an instructor who truly connects with them yet — Anthony would love to meet them. Start with a free, no-obligation introductory lesson and see what's possible.
Learn more about Anthony's adaptive drum lessons for students with special needs.
Schedule a free introductory lesson today.
Questions? Reach Anthony directly at pregodrums@gmail.com.