A Depth To The Drumming

Cris: You had an intense education, studying jazz and odd time signatures. And now you play more rock and pop. How has your education benefitted what you do now?

Chris Kimmerer (drummer for Thomas Rhett): I do think that all of those years of studying and playing in small jazz combos, playing in big bands, and learning about Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms -- all of that stuff that was a large part of my formative playing years -- I think it really adds a lot of depth for what it is for me to sit and play backbeats now. To do what I am doing now, I really think from the years of playing and exploring dynamics, phrasing, and subtlety of nuance, I think it gives depth to how I can treat a backbeat kind of gig. And I still feel that that rings true even though that was 10 years ago.