Born in Broken Hill, Senior Sergeant Drysdale started playing the trumpet at the age of ten. He was a member of the Barrier Industrial Union Brass Band and at the age of 13 he came first in 3 under 18 open solo comet championships in Adelaide. He joined the Royal Australian Navy Band in 1967 and studied music at the School of Music at HMAS Cerberus Westernport Victoria. He served on HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Stalwart from late 1968 to 1970 serving in South East Asia and Vietnam. In 1970 he was a member of massed RAN Band that toured Japan representing Australia at Expo 70.

He was on HMAS Melbourne when the ship collided with the American destroyer USS Evens in the South China Sea. As a member of the Royal Australian Navy Band he continued his career in music at HMAS Cerberus and the Melbourne Conservatory of Music obtaining his Bandmaster qualifications in 1973.

He joined the Band of the South Australia Police in 1976 playing lead trumpet with the Concert Band. In 1981 he became assistant conductor of the band and in the mid eighties he was the leader South Australia Police Big Band. In October 1981 he joined the Royal Australian Navy Reserve and assisted with the reformation of the South Australian Naval Band. He held the rank of Chief Petty Officer Musician and during the eighties continued further studies in conducting at the Melbourne College of Advanced Education under the direction of Professor Don Flickinger from the USA. In May 1989 he was promoted to Sergeant, Deputy Conductor of the Band of the South Australia Police and he was appointed Bandmaster in February 1990 under the Director of Music Wing Commander Eric Banks OBE.

Senior Sergeant Drysdale was appointed Director of Music in February 1992. He has conducted the Band for many major performances during his career including for Her Majesty, the Queen during the state of South Australia Sesqui-centenary Celebrations in 1986 and the highly successful Band on the Beat Gala Concerts held at the Adelaide Festival Theatre since 1989. Senior Sergeant Drysdale was Bandmaster with the Band at the 1990 Edinburgh Military Tattoo and he conducted the Band at the Royal Tournament in London in 1998. He has conducted the Band all over the state of South Australia and interstate at the Melbourne and Brisbane Festivals and the Perth Royal Show. He was assistant Director of Music at the Adelaide International Tattoo and Director of Music at the 1999 Tasmania Police Tattoo in Hobart and Launceston. He has conducted and assisted with the production of five CDs.

Senior Sergeant Drysdale is recognised in the Australian Roll of Honour dated 1975-1996 with the following Medals: The Australian Active Service Medal 1945 -1975, The Australian Service Medal-Far East Strategic Reserve, The Australian Reserve Forces Medal, The Australian National and Clasp, The Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal.