Working Drummer

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 c

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 conduct

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 Na

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 utiliz

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 Coc

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 a

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 experienc

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

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

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

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