Nashville Drummers Podcast

Welcome Pittsburgh native, Luke Zajdel! Luke is currently the touring drummer for country artist Walker Montgomery. A lifelong Rush fan, Luke shares why Clockwork Angels is his favorite record, memories of seeing Neil Peart play 5x, and his emotional reaction to Rush’s return announcement. He explains adapting the note-for-note prog mindset to Nashville’s more flexible country and session culture,...

Welcome Massachusetts native, Wesley Bourque! Wes is currently the touring drummer for rising country singer/songwriter Logan Crosby. In addition to gigging and recording, he serves as Artist Relations for NY-based distributor/record label United Masters. In this wide-ranging conversation, Wes shares his journey from small-town New England to the move to Nashville in 2014. We dive into his early y...

Welcome multi‑platinum Nashville session drummer, Aksel Coe! Since moving to Nashville in 2018, Aksel has quickly made a name for himself as one of the city's most sought-after session drummers, having recorded on many of today's top country, pop, and indie tracks. Recent recording credits include Ella Langley (ACM Song of the Year 'Choosin' Texas'), Role Model, Holly Humb...

Welcome Chicago drummer, musician, and entertainer, Aaron Paulsen! Amassing over 4.6 million followers across social media platforms, Aaron has taken his generation by storm with his unique video creations that blend extreme musicianship, storytelling, and undeniable humor. We dive into Aaron's upbringing as a classical percussionist from Chicago, dropping out of a percussion performance scho...

Welcome Brian Czach! Described by some as “Nashville’s greatest secret,” Brian moved to town in late 2015 and continues to find success as an in-demand freelance drummer, both live and in the studio. Known for his ability to adapt to a variety of musical settings at a high level, we dive into his musical upbringing in upstate New York, early influences (including Phil Collins), formal lessons, rea...

Today is a special episode as we welcome back our first-ever featured guest on the show - Jeffrey Adami! We first got to know Jeffrey back in October 2021 ( see Episode 3) at a time when he was 'foot on the gas' in his career, playing for multiple artists a week, networking, meeting new friends, and ultimately laying the groundwork for a successful future as a pro-level touring drummer....

Welcome Dango Cellan! A professional drummer for over 20 years, Dango is currently on tour with Emo legends Hawthorne Heights. We dive right into Dango's extensive and versatile career as a touring drummer, studio musician, educator, and family man. He reflects on saying yes early, not letting one gig define you, and the juggling act of balancing your time, money, career values, and family pr...

Welcome Kansas City-native Andrew Bone! Andrew opens up about the changing chapters of life and his shift in career focus. Recently married, he discusses the intentionality of stepping back from the grind of 6–7 days a week on Broadway, while aiming to get back to higher-level touring and more fulfilling gigs. We discuss the realities of post-COVID pay, knowing your worth, professionalism and reli...

Ever wondered what it really takes to play Lower Broadway in Nashville? This live roundtable discussion pulls back the curtain on one of the most competitive and fast-paced live music scenes in the country. Featuring Nashville’s most in-demand drummers — both in-town and out on tour — join us for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about breaking into the Broadway scene and building a sustai...

Welcome Philly-native Tom Kinka! Tom is currently the touring drummer for up-and-coming country artist Lecade. Growing up in a music-heavy family shaped by Rock Band, Blink-182, and country music in his mom’s car, Tom's passion for music and the drums was developed at an early age. Tom shares how a serious car accident and coma at 17 sharpened his focus on music, leading to a fearless, “persi...

Welcome Billy Joe Freeman! Billy is the touring drummer and music director for country artist Dustin Lynch. A Garland, Texas native, Billy began his professional career at just 12 years old, playing in Texas' longest-running Opry House. In 2012, he landed a spot at the Guitar Center Drum Off grand finals, leading to a tour with country legend Neil McCoy. Billy moved to Nashville in 2013, and...

Welcome Cleveland-native Jordan Carter! A conversation full of laughter, good hangs, and true words of wisdom, join us for Ep. 80 as we dive deep into Jordan's unique journey to Nashville as a professional drummer and music director. Hailing from small-town Cleveland, Jordan followed his passion for the drums from a young age, pursuing higher education at the Berklee College of Music in Bosto...

Welcome Georgia-native Collin Dobbs! Collin is the touring drummer for legendary country duo, The Bellamy Brothers. We delve into Collin's fascinating journey to Nashville - starting from his Georgia roots and Florida upbringing, Collin shares his quick rise in the music industry, the importance of being prepared and professional, tips on tuning and technique, and the value of networking and...

Welcome Nashville newcomer Tim Carman! An international touring musician, session drummer, educator, and five-time published author, Tim currently records and tours extensively with Parlor Greens—a soul-jazz trio consisting of Tim on drums, Jimmy James on guitar, and Adam Scone on organ—and Canyon Lights, a garage rock group formed with singer/guitarist Pat Faherty, formerly the lead singer of GA-...

Welcome, Andrew Besl to the podcast! Andrew is a Nashville-based drummer currently playing with Artists Noah Floersch, Neon Child, Pink Bubba, and Bee Kelly, among others. When he’s not on the road, he’s behind the kit as the in-house session drummer at Last Dollar Studios. In this candid conversation, Andrew shares valuable life lessons on gratitude and forgiveness as he details his journey from...

Welcome, South-Florida native Dan Rubin! Dan is currently the touring drummer for rising country Artist Gavin Adcock. From Dan's DIY humble beginnings in punk bands to headlining sold-out stadiums, Dan's journey is both inspiring and relatable. We dive into how he landed the gig with Gavin and has had to adapt and embrace the ever-changing dynamics of a fast-paced tour life. Dan shares t...

Welcome, Memphis, TN native Ryan Beydler! Ryan is currently the touring drummer for 15-year-old rising country Artist Maddox Batson. In this episode, we cover Ryan's wide range of experiences in the music industry, as well as invaluable lessons from legendary drummers Ryan has been lucky enough to study with, including John "JR" Robinson, Shannon Forrest, and Zoro. Ryan takes us thr...

Welcome Athens, GA native Jordan Arnold! Jordan is the current drummer for rising country artist Noah Hicks. Jordan shares his journey into his passion for music and the drums, starting from his early days inspired by Def Leppard, to his special relationship with his father both on and off the stage. Jordan stresses the value of important relationships within the music industry and shares insights...

Welcome Arkansas native and Nashville mainstay Kirby Bland! Kirby is best known as the drummer for country rock artist JD Clayton and has become a familiar face in the Nashville music scene over the past decade. Kirby shares his unique perspective on life as a “professional traveler,” reflecting on his musical journey, the importance of community, and the lessons learned from both the stage and th...

Welcome Keyser, West Virginia native Donnie Marple! Donnie is best known as the full-time drummer for American country music singer and songwriter Lee Brice. He’s also the 2007 Champion of the storied Guitar Center Drum-Off. Starting from his early love for drumming inspired by his musical family and church, Donnie describes his rise through the competitive ranks, from local area competitions to c...

Attendee and exhibitor interviews from the Music City Drum Show July 19th & 20th, 2025. Register for the 2026 Music City Drum Show https://www.musiccitydrumshow.com Interviews (in order of appearance) 00:00 Intro 0:11 Welcome  2:02 Matt Bover  5:04 Joel Edward McCoy  7:44 Don Orrell  11:01 Lillian Stegen  12:14 Dave Brandwein  14:45 Lleyton Brainard  16:21 Jake Robinson  18:05 Laurel Knopf (Ro...

Welcome New Jersey-native and acclaimed drummer Jay Weinberg! Voted 4x "Best Metal Drummer" and "#1 Rock Drummer" in Modern Drummer Readers Polls, Jay Weinberg is known as the current drummer for American thrash groups Suicidal Tendencies and Infectious Grooves, and past tenure with the heavy-metal band Slipknot from 2014-2023. This episode dives deep into the intersection of a...

Welcome drummer, percussionist, producer and educator Jordan Perlson! Jordan's career has spanned about as wide a stylistic reach as one can imagine. Be it with jazz legends Seamus Blake, Gary Burton,  folk heroes Alison Brown and Missy Raines, reggae giants Matisyahu and Trevor Hall, cutting-edge music innovators like Becca Stevens, Snarky Puppy, Banda Magda and Jeff Coffin, or progressive m...

Welcome to the show Wisconsin native Andrew Nesbitt! In this wide-ranging interview, Andrew shares his journey through the music industry, the challenges and opportunities of breaking into the Nashville drumming scene, and his innovative approach to creating custom percussion accessories. Andrew recalls his time at Berklee College of Music studying under legendary drummer Mike Mangini, and his tra...

Today we welcome to the show talented drummer, videographer, and Nashville-native, Branndon Center. Starting in the warehouse at Meinl Cymbals, Branndon would soon move into the Artist Relations / Media & Content Producer role, a position he's held for over 7 years. Branndon gives us a peek 'behind the lens' into his day-to-day where he's running professional video shoots w...