Brian Russell Collins: Beating Cancer & Overcoming Loss, Community through Charity, Meeting Huey Lewis, Jelly Roll Arena Tour

Welcome to the show Wilmington, NC native Brian Russell Collins! Having been in Nashville for over a decade, Brian is a familiar, friendly face in our community who has endured more than most of us ever will in a lifetime. We dive into Brian’s journey of perseverance and heartbreak, including beating cancer multiple times and the recent loss of his mom and sister - experiences that have greatly impacted his outlook on music and life. He reminisces on meeting his musical heroes Huey Lewis and Garth Brooks, shares tales from tour opening for Jelly Roll, and stresses the importance of advocacy, charity, and being there for others. Join us for an inspiring and engaging conversation filled with resilience, community, and rock and roll. We hope you enjoy! Chapters: 00:00 Intro 1:31 Welcome, Brian!  5:34 On Tour Opening for Jelly Roll  11:27 Take the Audition  20:05 Gear Talk and Drum Tuning  25:59 Drum Supply (Sponsor)  26:59 Watching Cody Ash  37:39 Meeting Huey Lewis: A Lifelong Inspiration  44:34 Charity Events and Community Impact  44:53 Drum Box (Sponsor)  45:36 Battling Cancer, Personal Loss, Hosting Charity Events  1:05:24 Supporting the Next Generation of Drummers  1:10:56 Low Boy Beaters (Sponsor)  1:11:37 Impacting Others  1:19:40 Tour Bus Tales and Night Terrors  1:23:32 Groove MPL (Sponsor)  1:24:44 Chick-fil-A and Celebrity Encounters  1:35:26 Sonique Drums (Sponsor)  1:36:06 Closing Questions  1:42:17 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 Brian: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianrussellcollins TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brianrussellcollins Music Featured in this Episode: "The Heart of Rock & Roll - Huey Lewis and the News "I Want a New Drug - Huey Lewis and the News ------ Interview by: Dan Ainspan, Nathan Sletner Recorded March 2025 in Nashville, TN 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