Kirby Bland: Professional Traveler, Game Footage, Route 91 Harvest Festival, Day Jobs, Identity & Nashville Community

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 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