Shows / Working Drummer
Working Drummer
With 500 episodes and counting, Working Drummer Podcast is the source for those interested in what it’s like to be a professional drummer. Hosted by Matthew Crouse and Zack Albetta, Working Drummer covers it all with a dynamic range of pro drummers who represent many different genres and scenes. Each weekly interview features a different performer, sometimes with a less recognizable name, but always with an impressive and distinct body of work. This unique approach has garnered a loyal audience…
Episodes
Working Drummer172 – Harry Miree: Building a Successful YouTube Channel, Speaking Your Truth, Separating One’s Self-Worth from the Gig You Have
Harry Miree is a drummer currently based in Nashville, TN and is the drummer for Ryan Follese of Hot Chelle Rae. Harry will touring the summer of 2018 with…
Working Drummer171 – Adam Bowman: The Toronto Scene, Playing for Modern Dance, Making Your Playing Emotional
Drummer/percussionist Adam Bowman has been a mainstay in both the Canadian and international music scenes for nearly two decades. As a touring musician, Adam…
Working Drummer170 – Billy Ward: Creating & Nurturing Your Own Voice, “Practice Playing”, Learning to Judge Yourself Harshly
Billy Ward is a Grammy awarded drummer, music educator, recording engineer and producer. Just a few of the people Billy’s Recorded and/or toured with include…
Working Drummer169 – Brandon Goodwin: Leading an Original Jazz Group, Workshopping with Delfeayo Marsalis, The Montreal Scene
Brandon Goodwin has lived and worked in Montreal for 12 years. His group, B’s Bees, for which he serves triple duty as drummer, bandleader, and composer…
Working Drummer168 – Aaron Comess: Drumming for Spin Doctors & Joan Osborne, New Solo Record: “Sculptures”, Creating a Career that Fits Your Vision
Originally from Dallas, Texas, Aaron Comess is an extremely versatile drummer with a wide range of influences and playing experiences including his ongoing…
Working Drummer167 – Dafnis Prieto: Rhythmic Synchronicity, Musical Vocabulary, Composing and Recording a Big Band Album,
From Santa Clara, Cuba, Dafnis Prieto’s revolutionary drumming techniques and compositions have had a powerful impact on the Latin and Jazz music scene…
Working Drummer166 – Christian Paschall: Drummer & MD for Maren Morris, Taking Calculated Risks, Mixing & Producing
Christian Paschall is a drummer, producer, engineer and mixer originally from Atlanta, GA, now based in Nashville, TN. With over 14 years of professional…
Working Drummer165 – Bob Knight: The London Scene, Musical Awareness, Being a “Fixer”
Bob Knight lives in London where he commands somewhat of a dual career, both as an in-demand drummer and a music agent or “fixer,” matching musicians with…
Working Drummer164 – Tracy Broussard: Drumming For Blake Shelton, Road Dawg Online, Family/Work Balance
Born in South Louisiana, Tracy was influenced by a musical “jambalaya” of Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Funk and Country. His whole family played music and…
Working Drummer163 – Kevin Winard: Playing with Steve Tyrell, Singers and Singing, The Intent and Spirit of Playing
Kevin Winard has toured and recorded with singer Steve Tyrell for 12 years. Over his career, he’s gained a wealth of experience with a wide variety of gigs…
Working Drummer162 – Richard Scott: Drumming for CCM Artist Matt Maher, From Industrial Design to Drums, Starting Drums Later in Life
Richard Scott approaches drumming with intentionality; always conscious of how his sound fits into the big picture and filling space in ways that help make…
Working Drummer161 – Peter Erskine Vol. 2: Educating in the Digital Age, Preserving Human Interaction, “Reading The Air”
Peter Erskine is – well, you know who the hell Peter Erskine is. We were thrilled to have Matthew Crouse interview him for the first time on WDP in the summer…
Working Drummer160 – Rob Mount: Drumming For Lou Gramm, Creating & Maintaining a Strong On-line Presence, Creating Drum Parts in Heavy Rock
At the age of 7, Rob Mount started studying percussion at The Hochstein School of Music in his hometown of Rochester, NY. During his high school years Rob…
Working Drummer159 – Brian Stephens: Product Development, Social Media Concepts, Musical Entrepreneurship
Brian Stephens is a drummer, audio engineer, producer, and studio owner who has spent most of his career in Atlanta. He has had most of the jobs a person can…
Working Drummer158 – Terence Clark: Drumming For Robert Cray, Steve Jordan as a Mentor, Networking Sincerely
Terence Clark is a Memphis based drummer, producer and overall creative. Known for his impeccable and soulful performances, his professionalism and discipline…
Working Drummer157 – Johnny Rabb: Drumming for Collective Soul, Creating Loyalty, Excitement vs. Reality
Johnny Rabb became a household name in the drumming community as a product developer and clinician. For years, he worked the clinic and convention circuit to…
Working Drummer156 – Doug Belote: Drumming for Dobro Master & 14-time Grammy Winner Jerry Douglas, New Orleans Documentary: “Street Beat – Drumming Below Sea Level”, Straddling New Orleans & Nashville
South Louisiana native Doug Belote grew up in Cajun country, immersed in the sounds of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, Cajun, zydeco, Dixieland, gospel, Latin and New…
Working Drummer155 – Lemuel Hayes: Playing with Cindy Wilson, Recovering From a Serious Injury, Choosing Nashville Over L.A.
Lemuel Hayes is the drummer for B52s founding member Cindy Wilson’s solo project. Originally from Gainesville, GA, he didn’t set his sights on a music career…
Working Drummer154 – Drummers Resource / WDP Roundtable #2: Catching Up From Last Year’s Episode, Time Management, Ageism in the Music Business
In this episode, Nick Ruffini, host and creator of The Drummers Resource sit down with Zack Albetta and Matt Crouse, the hosts of Working Drummer to catch up…
Working Drummer153 – Rodd Bland: Drumming for his Dad Bobby Blue Bland and B.B. King, The Past and Present Memphis Scene, Life After Dad
Rodd Bland was born and raised in Memphis, the son of Bobby “Blue” Bland and the godson of B.B. King. He began playing drums at age 3, and learning at the feet…
Working Drummer152 – Elton Charles: Touring with Thompson Square, Creating Great Drum Sounds Through Recording Experiences, Building Relationships in the Music Community
Elton Charles is a Guyanese drummer/engineer based in Nashville. Originally from New Jersey, he started playing drums at the early age of five. Elton worked on…
Working Drummer151 – Seth Hendershot: Touring with Randall Bramblett and Kishibashi, Life in a Small Town, Owning/Operating a Venue
For almost 20 years, Seth Hendershot has lived in the college town of Athens, GA. He has played in a variety of original and cover bands and for eight years…
Working Drummer150 – Matt Johnson: Touring with St. Vincent, Distilling Down Your Groove From Which to Build Upon, Creating Grooves with More Complexity & Less Density, Drumming on Jeff Buckley’s album Grace
Matt Johnson has played on some of the most critically acclaimed records in almost everyone’s collections. He’s also performed on some of the more memorable…
Working Drummer149 – Justin Boyd: His Career in Chicago, Going Back to School, Intentionally Diversifying His Experience
With the exception of a few high school years, Justin Boyd has spent his entire life in Chicago. From the beginning of his career, he thought it important to…
Working Drummer148 – Rob Hammersmith: Drumming for Skid Row, Staying Positive & Open-Minded, Chemistry Among Band Members
Rob Hammersmith’s musical journey began at an early age in a small town outside of Buffalo, NY. After a brief detour to California, Rob settled in Atlanta, GA…
Working Drummer147 – Ganesh Giri Jaya Pt. 2: The Physicality of Yoga, Studying with Porcaro and Humphrey, Growing Up in New Orleans, Writing Effectively
Ganesh Giri Jaya was born in New Orleans, moved to Atlanta at age 16, spent his early 20’s in L.A. and Portland, and ultimately returned to Atlanta where he…
Working Drummer146 – Luis Espaillat: Pro Bass Player’s Perspective, Connecting with Drummers Live and in the Studio
Luis Espaillat is a multi-faceted bassist and musician whose career has spanned many genres and taken him around the world. His unique sound can be heard in…
Working Drummer145 – Ganesh Giri Jaya Pt. 1: Making His Living With Cover/Tribute Bands, Leading and Singing from the Drums, Yoga and Spiritual Practice
Ganesh Giri Jaya was born in New Orleans, moved to Atlanta at age 16, spent his early 20’s in L.A. and Portland, and ultimately returned to Atlanta where he…
Working Drummer144 – Ray Luzier: Drumming for Korn, KXM, Army Of Anyone, David Lee Roth, Having a Back-Up for the Back-Up
Ray Luzier was raised in West Newton, Pennsylvania, a small town an hour outside of Pittsburgh. He began playing drums at age five, and although basically…
Working Drummer143 – Jake Reed: A Jazz Method Book with a New Approach, Studying Under Erskine and Von Ohlen, When Your Wife is Your Bandleader
Jake Reed was born and raised in Kansas City and went on to study drumset under two of the great educators of our time: John Von Ohlen at University of…
Working Drummer142 – Evan Hutchings: Full Time Session Drummer, Trends in Style & Tone in the Studio, Producing
Evan Hutchings grew up in Ft. Smith, AR and is the son of a preacher. He started playing drums at age 2 and got his first drum set at age 8. It was through…
Working Drummer141 – Gerald French: His Chapter in a New Orleans Family Legacy
Gerald French was born and raised in New Orleans in one of the city’s most prominent musical families. Over his career, he has played with most of New Orleans…
Working Drummer140 – Pat Torpey: Drummer for Mr. Big, Nashville Drummer Jam Honoree, Fighting Parkinson’s Disease
Pat Torpey was born in Cleveland, Ohio. At age 7, he first played the drums and in high school, Torpey immersed himself in all available music programs…
Working Drummer139 – Ian Chang: Making Technology Feel Organic, Drumming With Son Lux, Developing Sunhouse Sensory Percussion
Ian Chang was born in Hong Kong and moved to New Jersey as a teenager to attend boarding school. He had studied classical piano and percussion in Hong Kong…
Working Drummer138 – Jeremy Roberson: Drumming for Chase Rice, Protege of John Blackwell, Deflecting Stereotypes
For more than 24 years, Jeremy Roberson has been perfecting his precise, unpredictable, high-energy style of drumming. Using a combination of techniques, he…
Working Drummer137 – Kevin Kanner: Coming Up Under Jeff Hamilton, Playing with John Pizzarelli, Doubling Down on the Music He Loves
In today’s music landscape, Kevin Kanner is a rare breed of drummer; focused intently and passionately on straight-ahead jazz. While many of his generation…
Working Drummer136 – Jason Harrison Smith: Drumming for Albert Lee, Inspiring the Next Generation, Recording with Gary Husband
Finding a drummer with the chops and knowledge necessary to recapture a wide range of various styles authentically, is no small task. To make you believe…
Working Drummer135 – Doug Auwarter: Mentoring Generations of Kansas City Drummers, Preaching the Brazilian Gospel, Drumming as You Age
Doug Auwarter has spent most of his 40-year career in Kansas City and has been equally active as a performer and educator. He began his career playing across…
Working Drummer134 – Evan Stone: Bandleading and Producing, Taking a Lesson with Vinnie Colaiuta, The Importance of Tempo
Based in Los Angeles but originally from Long Island, New York, Evan Stone (Drummer/Producer/Bandleader) currently fronts his original project the Translucent…
Working Drummer133 – Gintas Janusonis: Playing and Producing in New York, from Jazz to Hip Hop to “America’s Got Talent”
Gintas Janusonis is the son of Lithuanian immigrants and grew up in Milwaukee. Berklee brought him to the East Coast and he soon made the jump to New York…
Working Drummer132 – Kent Slucher: 10 Years Drumming for Luke Bryan, Keeping Your Cool When Things Go Haywire, Playing With Power and Energy
Kent Slucher was born in Louisville, Kentucky October 19, 1976. With an intensely musical ear he learned to appreciate music at a very young age. Some of the…
Working Drummer131 – Matt Jorgensen: Juggling Roles, Making Art for Art’s Sake, Playing and Writing Authentically
Matt Jorgensen was born and raised in Seattle and caught the jazz bug in high school. It sent him to New York in 1992 to study at the recently formed New…
Working Drummer130 – Bob Breithaupt: Teaching at the University Level, Creating & Managing a Diverse Workload, Drawing From Experiences When Teaching
Robert Breithaupt is a veteran of over 40 years in music, as a performer, arts administrator, educator, author, musical contractor, entrepreneur, and visionary…
Working Drummer129 – Steve Fidyk: Laying a Foundation with Soph & Morello, Wrapping Up a 26-Year Army career, Putting Family First
Steve Fidyk’s career has been a balance between military service in the Army Field and Army Blues bands, civilian life as a member or leader of various…
Working Drummer128 – Seth Rausch: Drumming for Keith Urban, Recording with Little Big Town, Creating Unique Sounds in the Studio
Originally from upstate New York, Seth began playing drums at the age of three. By age nine, he was sitting in with local bands and even backing up his…
Working Drummer127 – Justin Chesarek: Rustbelt Roots, Branching Out from Jazz, Leaving a Gig on Good Terms for the Future
Justin Chesarek has lived in Atlanta for almost a decade, where he has played with various jazz artists including Gary Motley,Joe Gransden, and…
Working Drummer126 – Kyle Wilkerson: Touring with Maddie & Tae, Composing for T.V. Film, Creating Honest Relationships
Kyle Wilkerson is a well-versed and highly versatile drummer/percussion and film composer based out of Nashville, Tennessee. He has played/toured/recorded with…
Working Drummer125 – Rafael Pereira: Playing with Janelle Monae, Bringing Brazil to Atlanta, Growing Up On Samba Tradition and Pop Records
Rafael Pereira was born and raised in Sao Paolo, Brazil. As a kid he began playing piano, guitar and percussion, and along with his brother, fell in love with…
Working Drummer124 – Brian Ferguson: Drumming for Texas Artist Cory Morrow, The Importance of Subtleties & Nuance, Clinic Touring for Dixon Drums
Brian Ferguson is a studio and live Musician/Drummer/Producer based in Austin, Texas. He began playing drums and percussion at the age of 10 and has never…
Working Drummer123 – Adam Goodhue: Following a Sound from Massachusetts to San Francisco to Atlanta, Exploring American Music’s Southern Roots
Adam Goodhue has been busy on the Atlanta scene for the last four years. Before that, he spent 16 years in San Francisco where he played just about every type…
Working Drummer122 – Sarah Tomek: Drumming with Steven Tyler, Defying Skeptics, Taking Chances, “Drum ID’s”
There are drummers and there is Sarah Tomek. With the rumbling authority of a John Bonham and the razor precision of a Keith Carlock, she has become one of the…
Working Drummer121 – Kevin Stevens: Playing for a Tribute Show, Running a Multi-Band Company, Making Family Time Count
L.A. drummer Kevin Stevens recently completed two tours of Europe with David Brighton’s Space Oddity, a David Bowie tribute show. He is the drummer and…
Working Drummer120 – Kasey Todd: Touring with Tonic, Paying Your Dues, Growing Up Around the Music Business
Kasey Todd is a professional drummer, percussionist, vocalist, and an all around musician and entertainer. Along with being a performer, he also has credits as…
Working Drummer119 – Go-Go Ray: 25 years of Funk, Rock, Fusion, Blues, and Experimental Music in Kansas City
Go-Go Ray has been a Kansas City fixture since he moved there in the early 90s. He grew up in Dallas where he played in every possible school ensemble from 4th…
Working Drummer118 – Milton Sledge: Studio Legend, Musician Hall of Fame Inductee, Recording with Garth Brooks, Paying it Forward
Milton Sledge is a session drummer best known for a string of sessions in Muscle Shoals, Alabama as well as several albums with country super-star Garth…
Working Drummer117 – Evan Pazner: Touring with Lee Fields, Being a Lifelong New Yorker, Studying at the New School
Evan Pazner is a native and life-long resident of New York City. For the last six years, he has been the touring drummer for Lee Fields & The Expressions, a…
Working Drummer116 – Derrek Phillips: Drumming for Hank Williams Jr, Teaching at Two Universities, Master Classes with Tony Williams
Since the age of three, Derrek C. Phillips has had a deep passion for music. From that time he has carved out an exciting musical career as a performer…
Working Drummer115 – A Sit-Down with The Bosses: Equinox Orchestra’s Bandleader, Lead Singer, and Musical Director/Tour Manager on Getting a Band on the Road
At the helm of The Equinox Orchestra are tenor saxophonist and bandleader Jeremy Davis, lead vocalist Clay Johnson, and trumpet player, musical director and…
Working Drummer114 – Angela Lese: Drumming for The Dead Deads, Cultivating a Strong Fan Base, From “Regular Job” to Touring Musician
Angie Lese always wanted to be a drummer since she could remember. Growing up in Fort Wayne Indiana, she took to music early and studied flute throughout high…
Working Drummer113 – Jermal Watson: Born & Bred in New Orleans, Playing with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Allowing the Traditional to Evolve
Jermal Watson is a native of New Orleans and like so many musicians there, got his musical start playing in church. Growing up in New Orleans, he explains…