Working Drummer

Ross McReynolds has toured and recorded with artists such as Katie Pruitt, Maia Sharp, Juan Solorzano, The Muddy Magnolias, Dynamo, Cory Wong, Kelsey Waldon, Caleb Groh, Jess Nolan and many more. He attended Belmont University in Nashville and lived and worked there for many years after, but recently made the move to LA. In this episode, Ross talks about: Moving from Nashville to LA because of a general need for change Going crazy if he spends too long in the studio without connecting with an audience His experience at Belmont University in Nashville Realizing the typical Nashville music career and some of Nashville’s musical values didn’t agree with him How patience can turn seemingly difficult decisions into no-brainers “The passivity of a streaming service” How synthesizers and other electronic instruments he like using still feel physical and tangible and analogue Here's our Patreon Here's our Youtube Here's our Homepage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nate had been a fixture on the Nashville scene for 14 years and recently landed the proverbial big gig. He found himself in Zach Top’s drum chair when Zach was an opening act in thousand cap rooms, and the whole operation was very DIY. Not long after, Zach’s popularity exploded make him an international arena and stadium headliner seemingly overnight, and he took Nate and the rest of his band with him. In this episode, Nate talks about: Feeling a buzz around Zach Top from the moment he joined the band The show that made them realize they were huge The learning curves that come with the big gig How his approach to songs happened to match perfectly with Zach’s needs as a frontman The evolving pay situation ⁠⁠⁠Here's our Patreon⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Here's our Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Here's our Homepage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean McDaniel is currently the drummer for Chess on Broadway. He also played Smash, Cabaret, Some Like It Hot, Frozen, The Book Of Mormon, Spamalot, Violet, La Cage Aux Folles, and Nine To Five on Broadway. Off-Broadway he originated Hamilton. Sean can be seen and heard in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tick Tick Boom. He has played all over the country with American Idol Runner-Up Clay Aiken. Other performances include Sutton Foster, Barry Manilow, Audra McDonald, Jennifer Hudson, Sting, Dolly Parton, Idina Menzel, Tituss Burgess, Jane Lynch, and the Tony Awards. Sean earned his BM at University of North Texas and his MFA at New York University. He is endorsed by DW, Evans, Vic Firth, and Sabian. In this episode, Sean talks about: Not just playing to serve the song, but playing to serve the drama The importance of getting some live playing experience you can then bring into a musical theatre show The huge variety of playing experience he got at North Texas The common thread among great Broadway drummers/drumming Playing for the Tony Awards Finding ways to love the process, not just the product ⁠⁠⁠Here's our Patreon⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Here's our Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Here's our Homepage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nate's formal drum set training began during high school with Grant Menefee in Baltimore, Maryland. He continued his education in Boston, Massachusetts as a performance major at the renowned Berklee College of Music, studying with drummers such as Ed Uribe, Ian Froman, John Ramsay and Ron Savage. Upon graduating in 1994, he taught and played locally in Boston until moving to Los Angeles in 1999 where he has since amassed live performance and recording credits that include Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Pink, Paulina Rubio and Thalia among others. In 2010, he was the house band drummer on Bonnie Hunt's day time talk show, as well as performing with Cher for her string of appearances at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Now, you can catch him grooving during prime time on the NBC hit show, THE VOICE. In this episode, Nate talks about: His thoughts on both sides of the mentorship relationship The rhythm of the rehearsal and production schedule on “The Voice” His perspective on the LA scene The constant search for balance Here's our Patreon Here's our Youtube Here's our Homepage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dean is the drummer for the Chicago-based bands Worry Club and Capital Soiree. He’s a lifelong resident of the Chicago area, very much a part and a product of the Chicago scene, and has done and continues to do a lot of what it has to offer in addition to his two steady bands. In this episode, Dean talks about: Starting out in the ‘burbs of Chicago and the surrounding area Initially pursuing a history degree with an eye toward being a professor Working his way onto the Chicago scene as the scene emerged from the pandemic Getting his gig with Worry Club through using a hashtag on IG How he approaches live versions of songs that are recorded with programmed drums Understanding and appreciating “how a song works What sets Chicago apart Here's our Patreon Here's our Youtube Here's our Homepage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices