Nashville Drummers Podcast

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 years working day jobs at well-known coffee shops, building relationships, and his thoughts on nav...

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 scholarship during COVID to pursue content full-time, and the eventual move to Nashville. Aaron breaks dow...

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. Fast-forward to 2026, and he has completed 8 tours with Dove Award-winning, RIAA Platinum-selling Contempora...

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 reliability as a sub, and handling playback/Ableton, IEMs, and onstage failures. We delve into charti...

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, “persistence and idiocy” approach. He discusses leaving a jazz program at Temple for media production, navig...

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 Boston, where he would live and work for the next 12 years playing with artists such as Oompa, Sing, Lisa B...

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-20. Tim also leads two of his own projects: Tim Carman & The Street 45s — a world-groove insp...

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 tactics for learning songs quickly and the importance of continually pushing yourself on the instrument, and...

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 and fun stories from life-long mentors and drumming legends Rich Redmond and Gregg Bissonette. ...

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 competing nationally in the Guitar Center Drum-Off and eventually performing a solo at the prestig...

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 art, music, and community. Having just wrapped support on Metallica's M72 World Stadium Tour, Jay recalls stories from...

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 transition from the small town of Sturgeon Bay to NYC, and eventually to Nashville. We hope you enjo...

Welcome to the show Wilmington, NC native Brian Russell Collins! Having been in Nashville for over a decade, Brian is a familiar, friendly face in our community who has endured more than most of us ever will in a lifetime. We dive into Brian’s journey of perseverance and heartbreak, including beating cancer multiple times and the recent loss of his mom and sister - experiences that have greatly impacted his outlook on music and life. He reminisces on meeting his musical heroes Huey Lewis and ...