Matt Johnson is a native of Southern California, where he still lives, plays and teaches. He is the drummer for the Tony Guerrero Quintet, which is also the backing band for actress and singer Jane Lynch. He is the director of drumset studies at Fullerton College in Orange County, where he created the “Digital Drumset Lab”, the largest drumset classroom of its kind. In this interview, Matt talks about: Getting his professional start at Disneyland Playing multiple styles within one show Choosing the right gear for the gig Being an entertainer Developing and executing a specific vision for your projects Tailoring his teaching to a student’s goals How creating personal relationships leads to professional work Click here for pictures

Drummer Danny Young is my first interview of 2016. After an amazing 11 months on the road with the national tour of ‘Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You‘, Danny recently relocated back to Nashville where he has jumped into a variety of session work, and has also started working with a number of new and established artists in and out of town. Prior to ‘We Will Rock You’, Danny was the drummer and drum book composer on the new Broadway bound show, ‘The Nutty Professor’; working with Jerry Lewis, Rupert Holmes and the late, great Marvin Hamlish. He also toured on Green Day’s ‘American Idiot‘, Mel Brooks ‘Young Frankenstein the Musical’, with the 80’s hair band Nelson, country artist Katie Armiger, The Platters, Derryl Perry, has made back-line appearances on NBC’s SMASH!, was the debut drummer of ‘Chicago’ and ‘Hairspray on the worlds largest cruise ships Oasis and Allure of the Seas and has many drum students. Danny has also made one time appearances with Shania Twain, Liza Minnelli, Ann Hampton Callaway, Lorna Luft, The Drifters, The Four Tops, Maureen McGovern, Andrea Clearfield and many more… In addition to touring, Danny has also started a seminar with fellow drummer and friend, Danny Taylor, called ‘Beyond the Gig‘. The program focuses on the business, networking and promotion side of the music industry. By touching on topics that go beyond just “playing”, it offers students the knowledge and direction they need to be one step ahead of the game. In this interview, Danny talks about: Auditioning for Queen musical in front of Roger Taylor and Brian May Playing Green Day musical while band members were on stage Writing the drum book for Broadway show The Nutty Professor Learning the music from the recordings Not relying on charts alone Being a music supervisor on cruise ships Teaching others how to market themselves with “Beyond The Gig” Applying large musical skill set to create work beyond drumming Click here for pictures this interview was conducted January 2nd, 2016

Chuck Tilley has worked with many artists over the years including the great Felix Cavaliere from The Young Rascals, Richard Marx, Lee Greenwood and most recently the country super group Alabama as of five years ago. Chuck’s own band Six Wire, competed in a reality show called the next great American band back in 2007. The talent and the work ethic of the band was quickly recognized as an asset that the producers felt like they could use for future shows and projects. Some of these shows include “Nashville Star”, “Can You Duet”, “Next Superstar” as well as many live award shows. This is one of the many examples of Chuck’s experience as the drummer for a “house band”. Chuck also has a reoccurring role as the drummer for the character Rayna Jaymes played by actress Connie Britton in the hit TV series “Nashville”. Along with touring, Chuck rounds out his busy schedule by staying active in the Nashville recording scene. In this podcast, Chuck Tilley talks about: playing drums on live award shows working in house bands interpreting artists’ needs juggling many gigs Chuck uses: Pearl drums Zildjian cymbals Evans drum heads Click here for pics This interview was conducted November 30th, 2015

Tavis McNabb is perhaps best known as a longtime member of the band Better Than Ezra, although he has performed session and touring work with many acts during his career. Prior to joining Better Than Ezra in January 1996, McNabb toured with acts such as Vigilantes of Love, Beggars, and seminal Oregon-based punk rock band The Wipers. In mid-2007, Travis became the full-time touring and recording drummer with Grammy-award winning Country/Bluegrass act Sugarland. After  Sugarland decided to go on hiatus in 2012, Travis continued to stay busy touring and recording with many artists including Kristian Bush, Big and Rich, Gavin DeGraw most recently up and coming country artist Frankie Ballard. Travis also runs his own home studio called Wood Hill Recording where he puts his years of recording and engineering experience to use. Travis is very comfortable in the studio and you can hear him on Jennifer Nettles‘ most recent single, “Sugar” that was produced by Dann Huff. In this podcast, Travis talks about: Watching Jim Keltner in the studio and learning Leaving a good impression Balancing and mixing yourself Bring your vibe to the session Tracking with producer Dann Huff Taking every gig seriously This interview was conducted November 24th, 2015 Click here for pictures

Travis McNabb is perhaps best known as a longtime member of the band Better Than Ezra, although he has performed session and touring work with many acts during his career. Prior to joining Better Than Ezra in January 1996, McNabb toured with acts such as Vigilantes of Love, Beggars, and seminal Oregon-based punk rock band The Wipers. In mid-2007, Travis became the full-time touring and recording drummer with Grammy-award winning Country/Bluegrass act Sugarland. After  Sugarland decided to go on hiatus in 2012, Travis continued to stay busy touring and recording with many artists including Kristian Bush, Big and Rich, Gavin DeGraw most recently up and coming country artist Frankie Ballard. Travis also runs his own home studio called Wood Hill Recording where he puts his years of recording and engineering experience to use. Travis is very comfortable in the studio and you can hear him on Jennifer Nettles‘ most recent single, “Sugar” that was produced by Dann Huff. In this podcast, Travis talks about: Long unique audition for Ezra Being replaced in the studio and learning from it Watching and learning from Kenny Aronoff in the studio Bring your vibe to the session The influence of New Orleans on his playing Being prepared Balancing and mixing yourself This interview was conducted November 24th, 2015 Click here for pictures

Pat McDonald is best known as the drummer the legendary Charlie Daniels and has been touring and recording with Charlie for over 16 years. With around a 105 dates a year and many Grand Ole Opry dates, Pat stays very busy with Charlie. When Pat moved to Nashville in 1997, he was at the forefront of a budding community of rock/fusion drummers that were showcasing their style and ability to “fuse” multiple styles in country music. Pat’s reputation as a monster drummer that brought this dynamic to the country world served him well in opening up many doors for him during his time in Nashville. Pat has worked with many artists including Tanya Tucker, Victor Wooten, Leon Russell, Reese Wynans, Jimmy Hall, Kip Winger, Jim Horn and many others. After attending Georgia Southern College, Pat attended Boston’s Berkley College of Music and while there studied with the legendary Gary Chaffee. Pat will be one of the performers at the Nashville Drummer’s Jam 7 at the Exit In in Nashville December 14th, 2015. This NDJ7 will be a tribute to Alex Van Halen. Click here for pictures This interview was recorded November 12th, 2015

Tucker Wilson is a true native of Nashville. Not only was he born and raised in the music city, both of his grandfathers were regular performers on the Grand Ole Opry and at 3 days old Tucker made his first visit to the Opry. With Ricky Skaggs as an uncle and relatives in legendary country vocal group, The Whites, Tucker was surrounded by music from the beginning. At 1 1/2 years old, his interest in drums was so evident that a year later, his parents bought him his first kit and he’s never looked back. In spite of his family ties to the music business, Tucker seeks success in the music business honestly and on his own. Just out of high school, Tucker found his first touring gig with a struggling Christian/Country band that lead to work with a renowned gospel singer Guy Penrod. These early experiences provided a wealth of experiences that gave Tucker the professional skills that has carried him on to the next phase of his young professional life. Most recently, Tucker has been the touring drummer with Mercury Artist, Canaan Smith. What was supposed to be a five song set to audition with, Tucker was accidentally given a full hour of music to learn for the audition with Canaan. This turned into an opportunity that Tucker took full advantage of to prove his abilities as a solid player and worthy tour mate. Tucker will be one of the performers at The Nashville Drummer’s Jam 7 at the Exit In in Nashville December 14th, 2015. This NDJ7 will be a tribute to Alex Van Halen. Tucker’s NDJ7 video interview Click here for pictures This interview was conducted November 3rd 2015

Even though Mark Poiesz is still considered the “new guy” in the Nashville music scene, it hasn’t kept him from gaining significant ground in the business. In the first 12 months of moving to Nashville, Mark went from working with Chuck Wicks to Lindsey Ell and is currently the touring drummer for country singer Tyler Farr. When Mark made the move to Nashville in 2013 he quickly won the trust of a handful of people that became instrumental in Mark’s current success. This includes drummers Tom Hurst and Rich Redmond, guitarist Chris Nix and Jason Aldean’s band leader/bass player, Tully Kennedy. Before his move, Mark attended The University of Miami and in his final year he performed with the Grammy nominated Concert Jazz Band. After college, Mark’s time in south Florida was spent as a busy session and touring musician working with rockers Ghost of Gloria and touring with pop icon Jon Secada. The philosophy behind Mark’s high energy performance is tapping into the emotional pulse of the artist and personifying the emotion of the music and tying it together with the other musicians on stage. Mark will be participating in the Nashville Drummer’s Jam 7 December 14th in Nashville at the Exit In. This NDJ will be a tribute to Alex Van Halen. Click here for pictures This interview was conducted October 29th, 2015

Sean Fuller is best known as the drummer for the country pop duo Florida Georgia Line. This gig with FGL has been a great fit for the group and Sean as well. Sean is encouraged to express his style with FGL through his high energy playing as well as his massive Tommy Aldridge style kits. This complementary arrangement between artist and drummer helps to fulfill Sean’s desire to be much more than just a “sideman”. Originally from Evansville Indiana, Sean made the move to Nashville in 1997 in search of greater musical opportunities. Even though he had almost zero contacts in town, Sean learned how to use networking skills to establish himself within the music community. The time that he put into pounding the pavement and creating a vibe eventually lead to impressive and long lasting road gigs with Luke Bryan and Justin Moore. Most recently, Sean has started conducting drum clinics and it has become one of the ways Sean continues to find new ways of self expression. You can also, catch Sean December 14th at the Exit In in Nashville as one of the many great drummers playing in the Nashville Drummer’s Jam 7. This NDJ7 is a tribute to Alex Van Halen. Click here for pictures social media – instagram: @sfuller1234 twitter: seanfullerrocks facebook.com/seanfullerrocks www.bethebeastbrand.com This interview was conducted October 28th, 2015

Dr Preston Wakefield is a well known chiropractor in Nashville and is known throughout the music community as the go to guy for sound advice as well as quick and noticeable results when musicians are suffering from injuries associated with being professional player. Although most of his patients are athletes, around 20% of Preston’s patients are musicians. Preston uses “Active Release Techniques” to help guitar players, bass players and drummers overcome repetitive stress injuries often associated with these instruments. It’s not uncommon for Dr Wakefield to pull out a pair of sticks and a practice pad and observe your technique in order to help diagnose your issues. Preston stresses the benefits of proper posture, stretching and warming up. Spend time with Dr Preston Wakefield and you’ll have a rudimentary understanding of things like “peripheral nerve entrapment”, “carpal tunnel” and “tendonitis”. He will teach you how recognize these issues and treat yourself so you can keep working. Click here for pictures of the stretches that were discussed in this podcast This interview was conducted October 24th 2015

William Ellis is an in-demand drummer based in Nashville, TN and for almost six years, has been the drummer for the country duo Montgomery Gentry. His extreme versatility within a myriad of styles has served him well whether touring or recording. Artists like Travis Tritt, Martina McBride, Hunter Hayes, and many others have relied on his drumming expertise and versatility. William was also involved with two band projects: Blue Merle and EMP Project. In doing so, he was able to compose, co-produce, perform in the studio, and tour extensively opening for such artists and festivals as Counting Crows, Train, Dave Matthews Band, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza, etc. William has become a regular part of the Nashville Drummer Jam and you can see him perform at the Nashville Drummer Jam 7 December 14th, 2015 at the Exit In in Nashville. Click here for pictures This interview was conducted September 23rd, 2015

Jeff Hartsough is the Executive Director of the Percussive Arts Society as well as the Rhythm Discovery Center in Indianapolis Indiana. Since it’s start in 1961, PAS has stayed true to its Mission to inspire, educate, and support percussionists and drummers throughout the world. PAS also maintains it’s Vision to be the global leader in percussion and drumming by providing unparalleled and interactive resources and experiences in percussion education, performance, and research. The museum and interactive displays at the Rhythm Discovery Center shows the Society’s commitment to the preservation of percussion history as well as it’s cultural significance throughout human history. November 11th – 14th in San Antonio Texas is the annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention, (or PASIC). This four day event is celebrating it’s 40th anniversary and continues to be a major highlight of the organization. Artists from all areas of the percussion world will be participating in the many events throughout the convention. Events that include clinics, classes and panel discussions will cover drumset, education, symphonic, electronics/technology, marching, world percussion, health and wellness, ensemble and keyboard as well as professional development. Click here for pictures of the Rhythm Discovery Center This interview was conducted September 22nd, 2015

David Parks is known as not only a versatile and in demand drummer, but has also grown his reputation as a creative visionary solely based on the success of the Nashville Drummer Jam and it’s growing popularity since it’s start in 2012. The Drummers Jam even caught the attention of Modern Drummer who featured a two page spread on the Jam. David is in the process of finalizing the details of the seventh installment of the Drummers Jam December 14th in Nashville Tennessee at The Exit In. David’s drumming experience began at the age of 13 and is highlighted by his work with Van-Dells and a nine year run most recently with the group Locash Cowboys. Since leaving Locash, David has redefined himself as a freelance player tackling many new gigs including his most recent work touring with Casey James as well as tracking percussion for Kings X drummer, Jerry Gaskill’s solo record. David’s love and passion for music and all things Drumming continues to drive him onto bigger and better things. This interview was conducted September 20th 2015 Click here for pictures

Tom Hurst is known for so many projects that he is involved in that its hard to narrow it down to one that most would identify him with. The artists he’s worked with include The Backstreet Boys, Gary Allan, Wang Chung, Chuck Wicks, Tiffany, Joe Nichols, Sister Hazel, Peter Noon of Herman’s Hermits, James Otto and is currently touring with Tracy Lawrence. On the educational front Tom is a University of Florida graduate with a Bachelors of Arts in Music specializing in Ethnomusicology. Tom has taught at every level of music education. Tom is the co-founder/owner, and financial manager of Infinity Percussion, and Infinity 2, two independent youth arts competitive percussion performance ensembles with over 90 members combined annually. Throughout his career Tom has additionally undertaken multiple non-performance music business related endeavors including Tom Hurst Presents: Loud Jamz promotions company that includes a jam session at Douglas Corner the first monday of (almost) every month that features many of Nashville’s best musicians. Along with guitarist Chris Nix, and drummer David Parks, Tom helps organize the increasingly popular Nashville Drummers Jam that showcases an iconic drummer with many of Nashville’s top drummers performing songs from the featured drummer. December 14th 2015 is the next performance. Additionally Tom served as a Disney staff musician performing in numerous ensembles throughout his two decades plus career with the company. Click here for pictures This interview was conducted September 11th, 2015

After nine years working with Travis Tritt and making a name for himself, David has found a gig with The Oak Ridge Boys that has been the perfect fit for him and his family. David’s solid drumming abilities are a key component in maintaining the reputation that The Oak Ridge Boys have been known for for decades and the committed fans have come to expect. David embraces opportunities like this and has learned and grown from tough situations in the past that would have caused many to have given up. Despite his busy road schedule with “The Oaks”, David keeps a foot in the session world as well as the clinic world averaging 12 drum clinics a year throughout the country. At the age of 24, David’s drumming caught the ear of the legendary guitar player Les Dudeck that led to an opportunity for David to track drums on remaining songs that were left unfinished opposite drumming great Jeff Pocaro. This interview was conducted September 10th, 2015 Click here for pictures

Josh Birkhimer has a super diverse skill set that allows him to adapt to any situation and tackle any style of music. From latin and jazz to heavy rock, Josh continues to stay busy through employing many of these styles. His versatility and solid drumming led him to a career as one of the busiest musicians in Nashville for over 15 years. He has had the opportunity to work with Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Big & Rich, Jim Lauderdale, Raul Malo, Jo Dee Messina, Andy Griggs, Earl Thomas Conley, Eddy Raven, Mark Wills, Jo-El Sonnier, Lionel Cartwright and many others. Josh moved to Colorado Springs in 2011, and he is currently the Music Director for Lucci Music Studios. He is splitting his time between the premier horn band in Denver, The Tent Show Kings, the Springs loudest hard rock band, Savage Amusement, amazing jazz guitarist, Wayne Wilkinson, and he is also a member of the worship team at Red Rock Church. Josh is a trained facilitator of the Health Rhythms Protocol; which is a scientific based program that utilizes drumming and rhythm to improve physical, mental, emotional, and psychological health. This interview was conducted September 5th 2015 Click here for pictures

Currently based in LA, Jason Sutter is known as a badass rock drummer who’s worked with so many strong rock acts like Marilyn Manson, Foreigner, Chris Cornell, Vertical Horizon and is currently on tour with Smash Mouth. Jason started playing drums at the age of nine and with the support of nurturing parents a world class private teacher Jim Pietrzak, Jason played his first professional gig at the age of 13. With a masters degree in orchestral performance from the University of Miami, Jason is comfortable performing a wide range of music including classical, jazz, drum Corps and all styles of pop and rock. Jason’s undergraduate degree in music education from North Texas State makes him an effective and popular clinician. Jason play drums on all but two tracks for the 2009 Vertical Horizon record Burning The Days. The other two tracks were recorded by Neil Peart. Click here for photos This interview was conducted August 8th 2015

Greg Morrow has been an inspiration for many drummers including myself, not only for his superb drumming but for his humble demeanor. Born in Ripley Tennessee and raised in Memphis, Greg was exposed to great music at an early age. During these formative years, this was one of the things that became a catalyst for Greg’s love of music, drums and making a career out of these things. At the young age of 11 years old, Greg’s band at the time performed on a local TV show, Swing Shift. He also had his first recording session during this time. Touring and recording with Christian artists Degarmo and Key in the 1980’s lead to touring with Amy Grant that lead Greg to Nashville where his recording chops were quickly recognized. Since that move from Memphis to Nashville over two decades ago, Greg’s been a first call session drummer favorite among producers for his super solid pocket and musicality that elevates the performance of any track he’s on. Some if the many recognizable artists he’s worked with include Joe Cocker, Amy Grant, The Dixie Chicks, Reba McEntire and John Oats. In just the last year, Greg’s recording credits range from new artists like Luke Bryan and Darius Rucker to classic artists like Jim Ed Brown and Alabama. Click here for pictures This Interview was conducted August 7th, 2015

Gary Forkum is the owner of Forks Drum Closet in Nashville Tennessee. What started as a closet full of cymbals and sticks in the back of a music store in 1982, has grown into the premier pro drum shop in music city. Customers have direct access a knowledgable staff and a showroom full of high end percussion that is unique to most retail experiences. The store also offers private lessons, gear rentals, repairs and they host an Ebay store. From Students to seasoned pros, customer loyalty has been at the root of Fork’s success. For over three decades, this drum shop has been at the center of the Nashville drumming community. Along with most of the staff, Gary is an active drummer juggling up to four different bands including The Midnight Riders, (an Allman Brothers tribute band) the World Famous Channel Cats and his original project, The Blues Apostles. Click here for pictures This interview was conducted August 6th 2015

Originally from Corpus Christi Texas, one of the most defining moments in Willie Cantu’s music career was at the young age of 17 when he became an original member of the Buckaroos led by Buck Owens in the 1960’s. During the three and a half years Willie performed and recorded with Buck Owens, the band earned numerous awards that included Grammys and CMA’s. In 1966, Buck Owens and the Buckaroos were only the second country act to have appeared at Carnegie Hall. Willie has always been an avid fan of jazz and jazz drumming. During a visit on tour with Buck, Willie had the rare privilege to meet and hang with the great Tony Williams as well as many other jazz greats. After leaving Buck in late 1967, Willie married a canadian moved to Toronto were he got more involved in performing in jazz groups like the Pharoah Sanders Quartet. Shortly thereafter, Willie moved to San Francisco were he continued his education in all things percussion. In 1983 Willie moved to Nashville were he began playing country again as well as Scottish Pipe Band Drumming. He started two Scottish Pipe Bands in Tennessee including the Tennessee Scot’s Pipe Band. He became the house drummer at the Nashville Palace from 1989 to it’s closing in 2005. Willie continues to teach privately and perform locally in Nashville. Click here for pictures

Raised in South Bend Indiana, Trey Gray moved to Nashville in 1990. Trey has built a strong reputation in Nashville as a solid and dynamic drummer starting with his work in 1994 with Faith Hill. Later, Trey went on to work with Jewel, Brooks and Dunn, Reba McEntire as well as Ronnie Dunn as a solo artist. In 2003, Trey was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease. Despite the disease’s hallmark symptoms of uncontrolled movement of the upper body, Trey continues to work as a drummer for many of these artists as well as write and produce in his two recording studios in Nashville and Indiana. With the help of some close friends, Trey started the Huntington’s Disease Foundation (HDFI) to help raise awareness of the disease as well as organize events that will generate income towards research for a cure. Also, through help with Vanderbilt University, Trey has started the Trey Gray Fund. Click here for pictures This interview was conducted July 30th 2015

At four years old, Tim Horsley began playing drums and by the age of eight, he was playing live shows with his fathers gospel group in Southern Illinois. This early experience created a foundation for Tim to become the in-demand drummer he is today in Nashville. Starting in 1998, Tim has played drums with some of the best known country artists. After a short stint with Suzy Bogguss, Tim toured for close to five years with Keith Urban. His work with Keith helped establish Tim as a formative player that lead to many other artist gigs like Gary Allan, Deana Carter and Jamie O’Neal just to name a few. Becoming an expert at recording the drums, is one of the many ways Tim continues to diversify his talents within the music industry. Dedicating his energy into getting the best drum sounds he can for tracking drums in his home studio has been an obsession that continues to pay off. You can easily access examples of these recordings on his web-site. From an educational angle, Tim utilizes his home recording experience and teaches others through the web-site homestudiocorner.com. Along with maintaining a steady stream of recording clients, Tim is also the house drummer for a multi-media web-site called Digital Rodeo. Tim stays busy performing live with a variety of artists like Dean Alexander as well as performing in industry showcases for new artists. Click here for pictures This interview was recorded July 27th 2015

Bassist David Santos shares insight into music and drumming that only a bass player can give. David has toured and recorded with Billy Joel/Elton John, John Fogerty, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Neville Brothers, Billy Preston and many others. As a consummate student of music, David has created opportunities to work with some of the greatest musicians of our time. This includes working with many amazing drummers. Some of the drummers we discuss in this podcast include Andy Newmark, Kenny Aronoff, Cindy Blackman-Santana and Liberty Devitto. David continues his work in Nashville as a first-call session musician and runs his own world-class White Rock Studios. David is also a respected educator and songwriter/producer. He provides instruction on piano, guitar and bass. Click here for photos This interview was conducted July 21st 2015

For the last five years, Kevin Murphy's been the power house drummer for country singer Randy Houser. Before his current road gig, Kevin toured for 11 years with the band Tonic. Growing up in the Northern Virginia/DC area, Kevin's exposure to music, like hardcore and "Go Go," became an undeniable influence on Kevin's playing and has served him well for the more than two decades he's spent as a full-time professional drummer. Kevin plays an active role in the Nashville drumming community and constantly works at maintaining strong friendships among his peers. Most recently Kevin was one of the drummers mentioned in the August issue of Modern Drummer's feature on the "Nashville Drummer Jam" and their tribute to Neil Peart. It's easy to hear an air of confidence in Kevin's voice but you can also hear it in his playing. His YouTube channel is well stocked with live footage of Kevin's dynamic playing. Kevin has also taken on the role of producer and songwriter. Kevin's producing and songwriting skills can be heard on Josh Gracin's (former American Idol contestant) record "Redemption." Also, Kevin is a partner in a hot sauce called Mad Hatter Foods. Click here for pictures  

Brian Fullen is a veteran drummer who's lived in Nashville for many years and worked for many artists including Shania Twain, Peter Frampton, Bob Carlisle, Allies, The Imperials, Vince Gilland Larry Carlton just to name a few. As a first call studio drummer, Brian's session work covers artist projects to movie sound tracks to music for TV commercials. Brian's been expanding his home studio work with sessions supporting chart topping Australian artists that have been at the forefront of an Australian country music renaissance. Some of these artists include Australian X-Factor finalists and Toyota Star Maker winners from 2013 and 2014. Brian's family has deep musical roots and at the age of fifteen, he was working professionally as a drummer. Studying in Columbus Ohio at Capital University and later receiving a Masters of Art from the University of Memphis, Brian used his educational experience to become a respected educator himself. As well as teaching at Belmont University in Nashville for twelve years, Brian has authored three well received books, Bass Drum Essentials for the Drumset, Contemporary Country Styles for the Drummer and Bassist and Jazz Standards for Drumset. Click here for pictures This interview was conducted June 19th 2015

Drummer Rich Redmond has so many plates spinning there wouldn't be enough room in the podcast show notes to list them all. Best known as the drummer for country super star Jason Aldean (touring and studio), Rich also produces other artist's music with his partners at New Voice Entertainment. As a speaker and author, many of Rich's pursuits encompass the combination of education and motivation. You may find Rich at a music store putting on a drum clinic for aspiring drummers while on tour with Aldean and the next week speaking in front of business professionals motivating them to reach the next level with his program C.R.A.S.H. Course For Success. Living by example, Rich is constantly dreaming up new and innovative ways to find success in music, drumming, the entertainment industry and many other areas of business. Based in Nashville and Los Angeles, Rich adds songwriting and most recently acting to his impressive resume. Click here for pictures This interview was conducted June 18th, 2015

Many people know Steve Bowman as a founding member and original drummer for the band Counting Crows. Born and raised in Oakland California, Steve had the good fortune of growing up in a town with a history of successful bands like The Counting Crows. Steve established a reputation as a solid musician with his original and creative drumming on the band's 1993 debut album August And Everything After. In Late 1994, Steve left the band and went on to play with artists like Third Eye Blind, John Wesley Harding, and Penelope Houston. While on a trip to Nashville in 2006 to record with the band The Bittersweets, Steve discovered the charm of the music city and moved his family in 2007. Since that time, Steve stayed busy live and in the studio with artists like Big Kenny and many other songwriters. The devastating Nashville flood in 2010 and the damage it did to Steve's property forced him to make many changes in his life. What started as a dark period has turned into an opportunity for Steve rediscover and reinvent many aspects of his life including how he makes music. Click here for pictures.  

Jerry Roe is the drummer and member of the band Friendship Commanders. Widely known as a prolific and naturally gifted drummer, Jerry's list of artists he's performed and/or recorded with is impressive. These include Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, The Wreckers, Legendary Shack Shakers, KD Lang, WPA (Works Progress Administration) and Gretchen Wilson. As the grandson of singer, songwriter and actor Jerry Reed as well as son of Nashville bassist Dave Roe, it's no surprise to learn that Jerry began playing drums at 1 1/2 years old. During a few years living and working in Los Angeles, Jerry not only worked with L.A. based bands like the Useless Keys but his studio sessions included working with bass legend Leland Sklaras well as Leland's all bass player band, JoStLe. This interview was recorded May 13th 2015 Click herefor pictures.

Currently on the road with Casey James and guitar great Reeves Gabrels, Jeff Brown has been able to stay busy as a full time drummer for many years. In just the last decade, Jeff has worked with many artists live and in the studio including Dreaming In English, Jen Foster, Bucky Covington, Thomas Rhett and Steel Magnolia. Jeff's recording experience includes recording for movie sound tracks, television as well as many independent artists in Nashville and Los Angeles. An artist at heart and creative soul, Jeff started a video series called The Players Din that features an improvised musical performance with fellow musicians. Jeff also operates his own home studio called Shrug Sound Studio. Click here for pictures. This interview was recorded May 12th, 2015

Originally from Quesnel British Columbia, Dan Sia has just finished his 11th year as full time cruise ship drum set player and multi percussionist. What started as an audition over the phone 11 years ago, Dan's work on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has tested his skills at adapting to almost every style of music imaginable. This includes drumming for musicals like Mama Mia, Chicago: The Musical and Hairspay as well as big band and combo playing. Not only is sight reading a must while backing up guest artists on the ships, Dan must be able to cover all the styles mentioned as well as Latin and pop styles. Most recently Dan was the featured drummer in a show called Sonic Odyssey with a 20 minute drum solo. Since our interview, Dan has moved back home to Las Vegas with the hope to put his many skills to the test in the Vegas strip. Click here for pictures. This interview was conducted on April 23rd 2015

Jamie Rogan is a passionate drummer that for the last ten years has been working for country singer Billy Currington. But Jamie is so much more than that. After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in music education, he stayed in Alabama for two more years as a band director. In 2000 Jamie moved to Nashville. Jamie continues to juggle many things outside his full time road gig with teaching and session work. When not on the road, Jamie works with a Grateful Dead tribute band called The Stolen Faces. Click herefor pictures This interview was recorded April 7th 2015

Fred Eltringham has had arguably some of the coolest gigs you could have throughout the years he's been playing. While touring with RCA artists Gigolo Aunts from the mid to late 90's, Fred established many working and personal relationships with the bands they were sharing the stage with. This included The Wallflowers which eventually became Fred's gig for eight years after leaving the Gigolo Aunts. While on a break from The Wallflowers, Fred was recommended for the Dixie Chicks gig where more Nashville connections were made. After multiple moves between LA and New York, Fred moved his young family to Nashville in 2006 where he has become steadily busier as a live drummer working with Sheryl Crow as well as an in demand session drummer recording with strong talent such as Kasey Musgraves, Allison Moorer, KD Lang as well as producer T Bone Burnett. Click here for pictures. This interview was recorded April 6th 2015.

Before moving to Nashville in 1991, Steve Ebe spent his formative years in Memphis working with such legends as Carl Perkins and Donald "Duck" Dunn. Now, Steve is known throughout the Nashville music community as one of the busiest drummers in town. Whether it's teaching close to 50 students a week, or working with several bands who's primary focus is paying tribute to classic albums by performing them in their entirety, (The Long Players). Steve has carved a niche for himself that is truly unique. He still finds the time to work with other local bands as well, including a Steely Dan tribute called 12 Against Natureand an 80's party band with a strong reputation called Guilty Pleasures. For a little over 15 years, Steve has also been a member of a dedicated original band called Human Radio. This interview was conducted April 1st 2015. Click here for pictures.

Ed Toth has held down two power house gigs for close to 20 years. Between 1996 - 2005, Ed was the drummer and member of the band Vertical Horizon. Since 2005, Ed has been playing drums with the legendary Doobie Brothers. Ed shares with us the joys and challenges that he experienced as a member of Vertical Horizon from its humble beginnings to multi platinum status as well as what lead to his transition into the gig with the Doobie Brothers. We also cover the strong influence his musician father had on Ed's early education as well as his introduction to the music of the Doobies as a kid. Ed's drum tech, Jeremy Denton joined us for the interview and took some great pictures. All photos in Ed's gallery are Jeremy's. Here is what Ed had to say about Jeremy: "Jeremy Denton ([email protected]) is a Nashville based photographer. He's also my drum tech so he knows his way around the kit and knows what looks best for drummers. If you need some shots for you or your band, I highly recommend you drop him a line!" - Ed Toth This interview was recorded April 2nd 2015

Not only has George Lawrence been the drummer for Poco for over a decade, he's known throughout the Nashville drumming community as a natural mentor with years of experience performing live and in the studio. His reputation as an influential teacher includes a long list of successful alumni like drumming great Keith Carlock. In the early eighties George maintained steady work as a session drummer in Los Angeles and later at Muscle Shoals in Alabama. Some of George's current and past endeavors include owning his own drum shop, running the magazine "Not So Modern Drummer" as well as running the annual Nashville Drum Show. See photos here.

For the last 15 years, Ben Sesar has been the live and studio drummer for Grammy award winning singer, songwriter and guitarist Brad Paisley. This gig has given Ben a perspective on the music industry that few drummers get to experience. Ben offers his insight and philosophy on the business and what obstacles up and coming drummers might face. As a teacher, writer and professed life long student himself, Ben comes off as a true journey-man who is constantly looking for answers that plague his active drumming mind. And as a result of the depth of information we cover, we've decided to break this podcast into two parts. In part 2, Ben gets into practice techniques that he's designed to challenge himself as well as his students. He also explains the reason and origin of his cymbal set up and why they are angled the way they are. We have included the talents of photographer John Zocco in this podcast. You can check out all the great photographs from this interview on www.workingdrummer.net. This interview was recorded February 10th, 2015

For over 15 years Jim Riley has been the drummer for the hugely successful country group Rascal Flatts. After earning a degree in music education from North Texas, Jim found his way to Nashville in pursuit of higher musical goals. In pursuit of these goals, Jim shares with us his story of determination and perseverance. After establishing his drumming skills among his peers in Nashville, Jim quickly found himself with his first artist gig working with Mark Chestnut. As the group Rascal Flatts was beginning to take shape, Jim was asked to be the drummer. In spite of the newness of the group and its ground breaking pop style, Jim saw it as great opportunity and a risk worth taking. Within the first two years, Jim found himself in the position of musical director for Rascal Flatts and continues to maintain that position in the group. Jim discusses his role as "MD" and how it's responsibilities has evolved over years as the band's success has grown. Jim is also a dedicated educator. Sharing real world performance experiences with his students is at the core of Jim's teaching style. Jim is preparing to release his comprehensive book, Survival Guide For The Modern Drummer. Jim has also participated in many clinics across the country both large and small that have included Drum Daze in Columbus Ohio and Modern Drummer fest. Jim has defined success based on his own terms. He has found balance between performing with a successful band, teaching, writing music and writing about music as well as raising a family. See photos here.

For the last 15 years, Ben Sesar has been both live and studio drummer for the Grammy award winning singer, songwriter and guitarist Brad Paisley. This gig has given Ben a perspective on the music industry that few drummers get to experience. Ben offers his insight and philosophy on the business and which obstacles up and coming drummers might face. As a teacher, writer and professed life long student, Ben comes off as a true journey-man who is constantly looking for answers that plague his active drumming mind. Due to the depth of information we cover, we've decided to break this podcast into two parts. Ben discusses the trials of the music business in this first part as well as his decision to reinvent himself by converting to traditional grip after playing match grip most of his life. He also explains how he divides drumming into the "what we play" and "how we play", and the benefits of understanding the difference. We have included the talents of photographer John Zocco in this podcast. You can check out all the great pictures from this interview on www.workingdrummer.net. This interview was recorded February 10th, 2015

Lee Kelley has learned to adapt his drumming style to fit whatever gig has come his way. Lee's range of gigs have included backing up many artists in Nashville including Gary Allan, Mark Chestnut, Heidi Newfield as well as alt-country singer Chris Knight. Originally from the Charlotte North Carolina area, Lee learned drumming from his neighbor at an early age and continued his informal education working with and learning from popular local bands such as Sugar Creek and Too Much Sylvia. Encouraged by Eddie Bayers to move, Lee hit the streets of Nashville in 1996. After embracing the drumming style of classic country music, Lee quickly found himself working with country artist Gary Allan. Lee talks about the many artist gigs that followed and how he has continued to stay busy in the Nashville music scene. This interview was recorded February 3rd 2015. See photos here.

Matt Iceman is our featured drummer for our 7th podcast. Matt is a relatively young drummer who's been steadily making a name for himself in the Nashville scene since his move in the early 2000's. At the time of our interview, Matt was just finishing two busy years touring with singer/songwriter Eric Paslay. We discuss his role as band leader as well as life on the road. While on tour, Matt was able to watch other drummers perform with the artists that were sharing the stage. Since our interview, he has moved on and will be the touring drummer with country singer David Nail. Matt's early influences in music, drums and music education lead him to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and eventually to Nashville. We discuss Matt's perspective on the music industry and the role of the modern drummer as his inspiration to invest in his own home studio. Pictures of his studio and the building process can be found at www.workingdrummer.net. Our interview was recorded December 18th, 2014.

Keio Stroud is the featured drummer for the 6th podcast. 2014 was very busy for Keio, touring with Rodney Crowelland Big & Rich. Openings in his 2014 schedule were quickly filled with other gigs as a sub that included Jake Owen, Chad Warrix and Stoney LaRue. Keio grew up in a family of musicians and spent his formative years performing as the second drummer (double drums) in his dad's band. Keio's interest in drumming emerged from his desire to be involved in anything that had to do with drums. Though he questioned his abilities as a young player, Keio was strongly encouraged by many to pursue performance. Even blues artist Keb' Mo' recognized Keio's talents and included him in his 2014 Grammy nominated album, "BLUESAmericana" playing tracks along with Steve Jordan. Keio's interview was recorded December 17th, 2014. See photos here.

Mark Beckett is an accomplished session and live drummer in Nashville. When not in the studio, Mark's live gigs include touring with Olivia Newton-John as well as sharing the job of "house drummer" at the Grand Ole Opry opposite Nashville drumming legend Eddie Bayers. Eddie played an important role throughout Mark's life as a mentor and teacher. Son of Barry Beckett, renowned session keyboardist and record producer, Mark was exposed to music and the music business at a young age. This experience became uniquely beneficial to Mark in learning practical performance and recording techniques. Mark's Interview was recorded December 17th, 2015. See photos here.

Gregg Lohman has been the touring drummer for Kellie Pickler for the last eight years. At the time of our interview, Gregg had just returned from one of Kellie's many USO tours and was preparing for the Neil Peart tribute show with the Nashville Drummers Jam. Gregg's talents keep him very busy in the ever changing music scene of Nashville. Throughout his life, Gregg has had many positive role models that have given him the tools he's needed to navigate through all that life has thrown at him. After surviving a horrific car crash in 2013 the drumming community in Nashville and beyond rallied around Gregg and showed unparalleled support during his time of recovery. Gregg's podcast interview was recorded December 16th, 2014. See photos here.

Professional drummer Brice Williams is our third podcast interview. Brice is currently touring and recording with Mark Wills. Brice has gained an amazing amount of experience in the relatively short time he's been in Nashville. From an early age he showed great promise as a drummer while playing in his fathers band. In college, Brice studied with one of his biggest influences, Chester Thompson at Belmont University in Nashville. His professional life was was propelled forward through his experience performing and recording with Lady Antebellum early in their career. Learn how Brice embraced those experiences and how they fueled his progress as a drummer, teacher and musician. See photos here.