Working Drummer

Tony Leone has toured and recorded with bands like Ollabelle and Chris Robinson Brotherhood. He has also worked with a variety of musicians including Levon Helm, Phil Lesh, Anders Osborne, Lou Donaldson and others. In September 2020 he joined the legendary band Little Feat.

Tony is active on the New York City jazz scene where you can catch his quintet at famous clubs like Ornithology and Smalls Jazz Club

In this episode, Tony talks about:

    Adapting to different musical scenarios

    Being honest about styles of music you want to play

    Playing with Little Feat and learning the catalogue

    The realities of self doubt

    Spending time & double drumming with Levon Helm

    Following in his father’s footsteps

    The duality of jazz and classic rock that shaped him

    Studying with Art Taylor

    Fronting his own jazz group in NY

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Jon Radford has been adding soul and rhythmic vibe to the Nashville music scene since 2005, when he first began visiting the city to pick up drum gigs. He would soon move to Nashville from his hometown of Clarksville, TN with his wife, acclaimed painter Kim Radford.  

After transitioning to Nashville full-time, Radford began touring across the US and Europe with Charles Walker & The Dynamites and Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors. When not touring, Radford could be found fulfilling a vital tradition for Nashville’s most talented, playing the lower Broadway honky-tonk bars on Sunday nights with The Don Kelly Band.

In 2012, Radford helped found the critically acclaimed Luella and the Sun, a blues and gospel-tinged rock quartet. The band released a 10” single, Fly So Free, and toured for two years, performing at festivals such as Austin City Limits and Hangout Fest before disbanding. Also in 2012, Radford joined Justin Townes Earle’s touring band, performing on The Late Show with David Letterman.   

Radford’s uniquely soulful, powerful drumming style is influenced by the iconic session players of 1960s and 1970s, including Kenny Buttrey, Hal Blaine, Jim Gordon, Steve Gadd, and Al Jackson Jr. Radford’s extensive and ever-growing record collection is also a constant and evolving influence.  

In recent years, Radford has been an active session musician around Nashville, recording with producers such as Jacquire King, Brendan Benson, Paul Ebersold, and Jim Abbiss. Radford is also a regular member of the Nashville-based instrumental group Steelism.

In this episode, Jon talks about

How his vinyl obsession and his drum obsession feed each other

Being willing to be a novice at something in middle age

Being married to a fellow creative, painter and visual artist Kim Crawford, whose work can be seen around Nashville  

Recent renewed global interest in Sixpence None The Richer

His early days in Nashville and gigging on the “old” lower Broadway 

Changes in the Nashville scene 

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Matthew Atkins is a celebrated veteran of the music industry. An honours graduate of the renowned Musician’s Institute in Hollywood CA, Matthew has worked in a wide array of genres and situations. Matthew is equally at home on a stage playing pop-country to a festival audience, jazz to an intimate venue, or top 40 dance music at a high-end corporate event, as he is playing as part of a drum line at a world class sporting event.With a large catalogue of recording sessions to his credit, Matthew is known to be a diverse, creative professional. Matthew has been recognized with honours and awards from groups such as the Alberta Recording Industries Association and the Canadian Country Music Association.Having lived and worked in Asia, Mexico, and most recently Vancouver, Matthew now makes his home in St Albert, Alberta.

In this episode, Matthew talks about:

    The thought process while performing

    His early touring experiences with Canadian artists

    Favorite drummer verses biggest influence

    His take on the supposed threat of AI

    Experiencing of loss his wife to cancer

    Nurturing life long careers in music

    Unique dynamics in the Canadian music industry

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Ryan Connors is a multi-instrumentalist, MD, songwriter, and producer based in Nashville. He is currently keyboardist, MD, and backup drummer for Hozier, and has also worked with many other artists and bands including Yola, Melinda Doolittle, and Dynamo. He also writes and produces his own original music.

In this episode, Ryan talks about:

How smaller college programs give you more opportunities to play

The virtues of multiple disciplines vs. specialization

Being able to “speak drum” as an MD and producer

The benefit of closing some doors

Getting to play with Gadd

“Finding where it feels good and not leaving there”

Loving the discovery and connection that happens in rehearsal 

Leading by example as an MD in any given situation 

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Here's our Youtube

Here's our Homepage

Matthew Atkins is a celebrated veteran of the music industry. An honours graduate of the renowned Musician’s Institute in Hollywood CA, Matthew has worked in a wide array of genres and situations. Matthew is equally at home on a stage playing pop-country to a festival audience, jazz to an intimate venue, or top 40 dance music at a high-end corporate event, as he is playing as part of a drum line at a world class sporting event.With a large catalogue of recording sessions to his credit, Matthew is known to be a diverse, creative professional. Matthew has been recognized with honours and awards from groups such as the Alberta Recording Industries Association and the Canadian Country Music Association.Having lived and worked in Asia, Mexico, and most recently Vancouver, Matthew now makes his home in St Albert, Alberta.

In this episode, Matthew talks about:

Understanding the importance of motion when playing

His gig as a house drummer at The Mayfield Theatre

Using drum charts on a pro level

The power of being prepared

Chart writing techniques

Tapping into the most musical performances in the studio

Taking direction with grace