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PODCAST

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

music music interviews

All Episodes

91:34

587 - Ben Lecourt: From France to LA, Touring with...

Working Drummer ·

2026/10/01

A native of France, Ben Lecourt spent his childhood studying percussion with George Van Gucht of the Percussion Of Strasbourg while at conservatory in the south of France. During this time, Ben simultaneously began his discovery of bebop through private studies with various drum teachers. Spending a decade based in Paris, Ben honed his playing nightly in jazz clubs and festivals such as Montreux Jazz.He moved to LA late 2011 where he studied music production at UCLA Extension, and dove into the

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70:24

586 - Jason Smay pt. 2: Pursuing the Right...

Working Drummer ·

2026/09/24

Jason Smay has been in Nashville for a decade and plays with his son, McKinley James. Prior to that, he was based in Rochester, NY and toured with JD McPherson, Los Strait Jackets, and others. He and McKinley are also part of the Nashville group The Tiger Beats with Patrick Sweany and Ted Pecchio.In this episode, Jason talks about: Thinking about longevity in terms of exercise and overall health His roots drumming heroes Forming a relationship as young drummer with fellow Rochester

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110:46

585 - Christopher Williams: Drumming for Accept, Life...

Working Drummer ·

2026/09/13

Christopher Williams was born to be a drummer. Throughout high school, Williams drummed for several rock, jazz, metal, funk and blues groups, as well as the Greenville South Carolina youth orchestra. In 2004 he toured the United States as a member of the Carolina Gold Drum & Bugle corps. Christopher won a gold medal during the annual individual & ensemble competition and retained the title until 2006. Since 2008 he has been based in Nashville, Tennessee where he has built a strong reputation within

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68:40

584 - Jason Smay pt. 1

Working Drummer ·

2026/09/10

Jason Smay has been in Nashville for a decade and plays with his son, McKinley James. Prior to that, he was based in Rochester, NY and toured with JD McPherson, Los Strait Jackets, and others. He and McKinley are also part of the Nashville group The Tiger Beats with Patrick Sweany and Ted Pecchio. In this episode, Jason talks about: Bringing his son McKinley James up on the Rochester scene Touring with JD McPherson from 2011 to 2020 Moving to Nashville because it was best for McKinley’s

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95:51

583 - Kevin Watkins: K-Wat Drum Co., Building The Go...

Working Drummer ·

2026/09/03

Growing up in the church among talented and influential mentors, Kevin Watkins developed into a professional drummer and musician. Opportunities for recording, touring and even singing were readily available. His longest gig was with Country Gospel band, Brush Arbor. Although they were based in SoCal, they spent a lot oftime in Nashville, recording and doing TV.Later in life, Kevin’s drumming took a bit of a back seat to audio engineer and production work. He quickly became passionate about the

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80:24

582 - Sarah Hagan: Her New Role with Gibraltar and...

Working Drummer ·

2026/08/27

Sarah has been behind the scenes in the drum industry for decades, from her longtime role at Zildjian to her podcast Sarah Hagan Backstage to founding and running the Royal Cymbal company with Paul Francis. Most recently, she stepped into her newest role as director of artist relations for both Gibraltar Hardware and Rogers Drums. In this episode, Sarah talks about: Her new gig with Rogers and Gibraltar and some of the flagship products from both companies How she got into the business side

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99:10

581 - Rick Dior: Studying with Joe Morello, Building...

Working Drummer ·

2026/08/20

Born in Brooklyn, New York Rick Dior began his professional music career at the age of thirteen, freelancing in and around the metropolitan area in various small ensembles, orchestras and theater productions. He is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with timpanist Fred Hinger and jazz composer Bob Mintzer. He also studied extensively with famed jazz drummer Joe Morello. Rick has performed as a percussionist with a variety of superb artists in many musical genres including

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59:56

580 - Tim Carman: His New Book (The Shuffle Book Vol....

Working Drummer ·

2026/08/13

Tim Carman is a Nashville-based drummer, author, and educator known for his deep pocket, soulful touch, and command of blues, soul jazz, and roots music. Originally from the Boston area, Carman built his reputation on the New England music scene as a first-call sideman and session musician. From 2018 to 2024, he toured internationally and recorded with GA-20, a three-time Billboard #1 blues artist on Colemine/Karma Chief Records, helping the band earn repeated Boston Music Awards for Blues Act of

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100:57

579 - Evan Hutchings: Mindfulness Practicing, Going...

Working Drummer ·

2026/08/06

Evan Hutchings was Born and raised in Arkansas, Evan grew up playing drums at his dad’s church in Fort Smith. He was the kid that would sit behind the drummer during church and soak in every detail and nuance. Once church let out, he’d jump up on the kit and play, until the next church service started a few hours later.Evan got his first drum set at the age of 8 and began serenading his whole family and neighborhood with punk rock beats and the sounds of the radio. After touring the country with

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88:55

578 - Sterling Laws: Recording for LA Hit Makers, The...

Working Drummer ·

2026/07/30

Sterling Laws is a well-established drummer in LA, having toured and/or recorded with Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, producer Dan Nigro, Natasha Bedingfield, and many others. He is a graduate of Musicians Institute in LA where he studied with Stewart Jean and Kevin Stevens. In this episode, Sterling talks about: Playing with Natasha Bedingfield and serving as her MD Growing up in rural Washington north of Seattle, and picking up drumming from his mom Discovering a viable musical path

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111:00

577 - Jeff Brown: Jeff Returns, Taking Control of...

Working Drummer ·

2026/07/23

Jeff Brown started his musical journey in Southern California, eventually moving to Nashville, TN when he was 19 years old. He cut his teeth touring and recording with rock bands throughout his 20s, working as a hired gun for both studio sessions and touring artists across many different genres. His resumé includes Reeves Gabrels (David Bowie/The Cure), Paramore, Steve Cropper, Phil Vassar, Thomas Rhett, Casey James (American Idol), Steel Magnolia (Can You Duet), Bucky Covington (American Idol) and

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75:31

576 - Gustavo Cortiñas: From Mexico City to New...

Working Drummer ·

2026/07/16

Gustavo Cortiñas was born and raised in Mexico City. His interest in drumming and jazz took him to Loyola University in New Orleans where he studied with Johnny Vidacovich, and on to Northwestern University in Chicago, where he has lived and worked since. His sixth album as a leader is entitled "The Drum Also Sings."In this episode, Gustavo talks about: Growing up in Mexico City, the son of two educators, and being surrounded by all kinds of music Being inspired by the individuality of jazz

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102:54

575 - Chase Adams: Drumming with The Frontmen, What &...

Working Drummer ·

2026/07/09

Chase Adam's musical journey started when he was just three years old, collaborating with his father Thurman in the field of music. He spent many years performing in church and later pursued music education at school, specializing in various genres like concert, symphonic, jazz, and marching percussion. Throughout his early years, he played a significant role in establishing the Indianapolis Colts Drumline and the Indiana Pacers "High Octane" Drumline, while also sharing his expertise with local

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76:19

574 - Chris Draper: His New Book "The Inner Athlete",...

Working Drummer ·

2026/07/02

Chris Draper is a drummer, author, and performance coach based in London. After coming up on the city's Jazz and Fusion scene as the drummer in the house band at the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Chris began getting opportunities in musical theatre, culminating in landing the drum chair on the West End production of Hamilton. His new book, "The Inner Athlete: A Musician's Guide to Performance Conditioning," is the result of what Chris learned through rehabilitation after sustaining two

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95:52

573 - Reuben Spyker: Curiosity as Inspiration, New...

Working Drummer ·

2026/06/26

Reuben Spyker is a master technician who has built his career as an educator, artist, and innovative drummer. Reuben has developed teaching programs that emphasize efficient playing, critical observation, and creativity. Most recently, Reuben has combined his obsession with detail and interest in art to create an original signature snare drum with the help of master snare builder Ronn Dunnett. In this episode, Reuben talks about: The many facets of Reubens career Using curiosity

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77:29

572 - Ross McReynolds: Moving from Nashville to LA,...

Working Drummer ·

2026/06/18

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

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72:01

571 - Craig Krolicki: Drum Teching, Being the Glue...

Working Drummer ·

2026/06/11

Craig Krolicki is a versatile and musical drummer playing a wide variety of styles. He is a graduate of Youngstown State University (The Dana School of Music), with a BA in Music Education.In 1997 Craig moved to Nashville TN, and has toured as a drummer with artist such as Curb Recording Artist Jeff Carson, Hank III, Sony Recording Artist Tammy Cochran, Singer/Songwriter/Producer Gail Davies, Singer/Songwriter Billy Yates, BNA Recording Artist Kellie Coffey. From 2006-2020, Craig drum teched for

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87:13

570 - Steve Pruitt: Playing with Mike Stern and Eddie...

Working Drummer ·

2026/06/04

Steve Pruitt has toured and/or recorded with Eddie Gomez, Mike Stern, Snarky Puppy, Oz Noy, and many others. He was a finalist in the 2000 Guitar Center Drum-Off and went on to study with Ed Soph at North Texas. In this episode, Steve talks about: Facing a lot of adversity quickly at North Texas The differences and similarities in his approach to straight ahead jazz vs. fusion How he things about the word "integrity" "Finding the dance" that makes the music work with certain musicians

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78:38

569 - Steve Misamore: Drumming for Dierks Bentley,...

Working Drummer ·

2026/05/28

Steve Misamore has been drumming since he was 11 years old. He has been the drummer in Dierks Bentley’s band since 2002.Steve moved to Nashville in 1993 from Houston TX. Before he met Dierks, he did all sorts of gigs in town from bars to studio work, to private gigs and everything in between. Steve met Dierks playing the bars in Nashville in 1999 and helped him open some doors at Sony/ATV. Steve has been working with Dierks ever since. Steve played on some of the early stuff like "Free and Easy"

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65:16

568 - Matt Musty: Playing with Train, Using Your...

Working Drummer ·

2026/05/21

Matt Musty has been the drummer for Train since 2019. He has lived in Boston, New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles and in addition to Train, his touring and recording credits include Grace Potter, Gwen Stefani, Shoshana Bean, Keith Urban, and many others. In this episode, Matt talks about: Learning the recording principle that the only rule is what sounds good to you The Broadway musical in development that Train is writing music for, and learning the “many cooks in the kitchen”

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