🎧 Episode #94: Frank Pagano – From Glen Rock to Broadway, and Everywhere in Between

In this in-depth, wide-ranging conversation, drummer, percussionist, and vocalist Frank Pagano discusses a career spanning four decades, which includes recording sessions with legends, world tours, and Broadway pit work for over a dozen shows.

Key Highlights:

* "You can’t practice experience—you’ve got to get it." Frank opens the episode with advice every young musician needs to hear: play with as many people as possible, in every style you can.

* Glen Rock beginnings: How a school assembly changed Frank’s life, and how his early band with Jimmy and Jerry Vivino (of Conan O’Brien and The Fab Faux) set him on his musical path.

* Broadway before subbing: Frank shares how his first Broadway show was Leader of the Pack, and how the success of that show at The Bottom Line led to a surprising jump to Broadway—with no prior subbing experience.

* Why personality matters: The moment he was told at a Broadway audition, “If John Miller says you can play, I believe it—I just wanted to make sure you weren’t an a*****e.”

* Life in the pit vs. on the road: Frank reflects on what it means to have one foot in the Broadway world and one in the touring world, and why that balance has worked for him.

* Learning from the greats: From Joe Morello to Justin DiCioccio, Frank discusses the lessons that stuck—and the ones he wasn't ready for at the time.

* Working with icons: Frank shares what it was like to record with Bruce Springsteen, Laura Nyro, and over 20 Rock and Roll Hall of Famers.

* The subbing philosophy: Why subbing someone else's show isn't about playing “your best”—it's about replicating their show, exactly as the cast and band know it.

* Advice for today’s aspiring Broadway musicians: “There’s no shortcut. Make yourself available. Go where the music is. Make real connections. Be reliable. Be likable. Do your homework.”

Frank’s perspective is a masterclass in career longevity, versatility, and professionalism. Whether you’re just getting started or trying to stay in the game, this is a must-listen.

🎧 Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you stream.

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Clayton Craddock founded Broadway Drumming 101, an in-depth online platform offering specialized mentorship and a carefully curated collection of resources tailored for aspiring and professional musicians.

Clayton’s Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, and The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical. As a skilled sub, he’s contributed his talents to Motown, Evita, Cats, Avenue Q, The Color Purple, Rent, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, Hadestown (tour), and many more. He has also appeared on major shows, including The View, Good Morning America, Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and the TONY Awards, and performed with legends like The Stylistics, The Delfonics, Mario Cantone, Laura Benanti, Kristin Chenoweth, Kerry Butler, Christian Borle, Norm Lewis, Deniece Williams, Chuck Berry, and Ben E. King.

Clayton proudly endorses Ahead Drum Cases, Paiste Cymbals, Innovative Percussion drumsticks, and Empire Ears.

Learn more about Clayton Craddock here: www.claytoncraddock.com

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