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 the road.

From his early days growing up in Arkansas and discovering his love for drumming, to building a career in Nashville’s vibrant music community, Kirby opens up about the realities of balancing day jobs with gigging, the camaraderie of long-term bandmates, and the joy of performing live. He discusses his passion for travel, photography, and the creative process behind recording and reviewing live shows—plus, he shares memorable stories from the road, including the impact of the Route 91 Harvest Festival tragedy that took place in Las Vegas in 2017.

Kirby discusses overcoming self-doubt, finding his lane, and the value of authenticity in both music and life. The episode wraps with Kirby’s favorite Nashville food spots, his love of tattoos, and a reminder to embrace gratitude and community. We hope you enjoy!

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:58 Welcome, Kirby!
6:45 Flexible Day Jobs for Musicians
8:22 Kirby's Early Days in Nashville
12:35 Drumming for JD Clayton
15:16 The Joy of Playing Live
19:03 The Game Footage
28:08 Challenges of Playing to Click Tracks
33:33 New York City Adventures
35:05 Turning 30 and Embracing Change
35:46 Finding Identity in Music
39:01 Drum Box (Sponsor)
39:43 Professional Traveler
46:53 Low Boy Beaters (Sponsor)
47:34 Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas
59:36 Drum Supply (Sponsor)
1:00:35 Photography - Behind the Lens
1:05:06 Groove MPL (Sponsor)
1:06:16 Early Musical Inspirations
1:18:47 Nashville Gig Scene
1:23:00 Balancing Social Life and Music
1:28:20 Tattoo Stories and Personal Expression
1:32:50 Favorite Nashville Spots
1:38:30 Outro

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

Drum Box
https://drumbox.space

Drum Supply
https://www.drumsupply.com

Low Boy Beaters
https://lowboybeaters.com

Groove MPL
https://www.groovempl.com

Sonique Drums
https://soniquedrums.com

Connect with Kirby:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirbybland

Music Featured in this Episode:
"Arkansas Kid" - JD Clayton
"American Millionaire" - JD Clayton

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Recorded at Garden Groove Recording Space, Nashville, TN
Podcast Artwork: GENUINE CREATIVE ART

ⓒ 2025 Nashville Drummers Podcast, LLC

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 prestigious Buddy Rich Memorial Concert - where he would share the stage with legends like Neil Peart and Chad Smith. Donnie discusses the evolution of his career with Lee Brice, his continual efforts to improve, and his experience balancing fatherhood with a demanding touring schedule. He also reflects on his passion for golf and reading, and offers insights into overcoming overthinking and focusing on mental health. The episode wraps as Donnie emphasizes the importance of humility, gratitude, and balancing professional success with personal fulfillment. We hope you enjoy!

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:08 Welcome, Donnie!
3:42 Lee Brice Audition
18:50 Mental Health and Overcoming Challenges
28:53 Golf and Drumming: Finding Balance
31:55 Learning from Other Drummers
37:14 Drum Box (Sponsor)
37:57 Early Beginnings
43:36 Guitar Center Drum-Off
57:19 Low Boy Beaters (Sponsor)
58:38 Buddy Rich Memorial Concert
1:07:10 Reflecting & Inspiring the Next Generation
1:10:35 Drum Supply (Sponsor)
1:18:08 Gear Talk and Endorsements
1:24:31 Sonique Drums (Sponsor)
1:28:43 Balancing Family and Career
1:30:50 Outro

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

Drum Box
https://drumbox.space

Drum Supply
https://www.drumsupply.com

Low Boy Beaters
https://lowboybeaters.com

Groove MPL
https://www.groovempl.com

Sonique Drums
https://soniquedrums.com

Connect with Donnie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnie_marple
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/donniemarple
Website: https://donniemarple.com

Music Featured in this Episode:
"Soul" - Lee Brice
"Rumor" - Lee Brice

Support the show

Connect with us:
Website
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube
Facebook

Recorded at Garden Groove Recording Space, Nashville, TN
Podcast Artwork: GENUINE CREATIVE ART

ⓒ 2025 Nashville Drummers Podcast, LLC

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 (Roadkill Drums Podcast)
23:05 Jim Wagy
26:11 Brian Leszczynski
28:48 Mitch Zlotnik (Audimute)
33:10 Landon Hall
36:07 Josh Blount (Lucky Drums Co.)
37:56 Brendan Golden
39:40 Sully
41:23 Joe Hamm
45:00 Damon Hope
47:24 Outro

Support the show

Connect with us:
Website
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube
Facebook

Recorded at Garden Groove Recording Space, Nashville, TN
Podcast Artwork: GENUINE CREATIVE ART

ⓒ 2025 Nashville Drummers Podcast, LLC