Howdy Folks! Welcome to this week's Episode of The Up and Coming Drummer Podcast! My guest this week is Drummer Ryan Blodgett.

Episode 11 is a very special episode to me. Of course, I love all of them, but this one hit home in so many ways. During my prep for this interview, I quickly began to realize that Ryan Blodgett and I have quite a bit in common in regards to our life story. The connection I felt with him allowed me to open up about some topics that I sometimes have trouble talking about. I think we both felt like we got a lot off of our chests, and now are at peace with some of the demons we've struggled with.

The show kicks off with a little backstory on Ryan. We discuss how growing up in a family of drummers helped him find his own voice behind the kit. Ryan tells us a bit about his Grandfather, who is a bassist. His Grandfather played with some pretty big Country acts over the years, and Ryan tells us some stories he shared with him growing up. Ryan takes us on a journey from childhood up into his teenage years. We discuss the bands he grew up playing with and some memorable moments from those formative years.

After chatting about growing up as a musician and playing in bands, we get into the topic that I mentioned before. Ryan and I have both struggled with addiction in our life. This section of the show was very emotional for me. Ryan discusses how he got hooked and the fight he had to put up every day just to survive. Ryans story moved me so much that I felt that now was the time to get some things off of my chest. We both have dealt with pain, humility, and feelings of hopelessness. This disease is no joke and being in the environments that musicians are sometimes in doesn't make it any easier. It seriously sidetracked both of us, and we both feel like we are constantly trying to make up for the time lost. But we are both happy to be sober and striving every day towards our goals.

Ryan has put that all in the past and is moving forward in his life and career. So much so that he recently packed up his bags and his drums, and moved to Nashville, Tn to pursue his dreams. We talk about his move, and what his first few months have been like since his arrival in Music City. Moving to a new part of the country means leaving some things behind. In Ryans case, this was his students. In a recent Instagram post, Ryan shared a letter that was written to him by one of his students Mother. The letter goes on to say what an inspiration Ryan has been to her son. this really struck a chord with me, so we get into a good chat about teaching, and how rewarding it has been for him.

If you've ever heard him play then you know that he has a very killer sound. He has a unique set up, using various percussion including jam blocks, specialty stacks, and of course his snare drum!!! Some of you may know that my favorite band is 311. Ryans snare reminds me of that old school Chad Sexton sound. So I had to ask him about what gear he uses, and what inspires his playing.

Last but not least Ryan and I chat about Social Media and how he's been using it to market himself as a drummer. He shares some tips and strategies on how to grow your following. When you are striving to support yourself solely on drumming, you have to use every tool out there that you can. It's great to hear how everyone does it, and hopefully, you guys can learn something from Ryans approach!

Before we wrap it up, we get into a few listener questions. I'd like to thank @smeat.beats , @mattygorillahead , @tonytwotimes , and @skidmarx74 for submitting their questions. I hope you guys enjoy the show, and if anyone is ever feeling like they have nobody to turn to, please reach out to Ryan and myself. Have a great day everyone, and make sure to go follow Ryan at the links below! Later!

Ryan Blodgett

www.instagram.com/_drummeryan_