Matt Nolan: Drummer for Lainey Wilson, From New Orleans Jazz to Country's Biggest Stages, Sobriety and Mental Health, Studio Recording, The Importance of Listening

We’re excited to welcome Matt Nolan to the podcast! Since 2020, Matt has been the touring drummer for Lainey Wilson, in addition to working with artists including Maggie Rose, Them Vibes, Brandon Whyde, The Morrison Brothers Band, and Rude Music - a rock and roll group led by Matt and his brother Kevin. In this wide-ranging interview, Matt shares his unique musical journey from studying Jazz in New Orleans to moving to Nashville and eventually landing the gig with Lainey Wilson. Matt shares valuable insights on handling moments of pressure, playing bigger stages, supporting your bandmates, touring sober, and the importance of listening. We hope you enjoy! Chapters: 00:00 Intro 2:26 Welcome, Matt!  8:52 Behind the Scenes: CMA Awards  27:56 Drumming Influences  35:23 Drum Box (Sponsor)  36:08 Early Musical Influences and Upbringing  39:01 Getting Booed at Your 1st Gig  55:08 Drum Supply (Sponsor)  56:11 Goals in High School  1:00:11 Johnny Vidacovich and New Orleans Jazz  1:10:32 Discovering Country Music  1:21:48 Dealing w/ Competition & High-Stakes  1:24:44 The Drummer"s Role  1:26:59 Low Boy Beaters (Sponsor)  1:27:37 Playback & Tracks  1:42:48 Groove MPL (Sponsor)  1:44:06 Recording Lainey"s 3rd Studio Album  1:55:48 Touring Sober and Band Dynamics  2:00:37 Mental Health on the Road  2:04:39 The Importance of Listening  2:10:23 Pre-Show Rituals and Techniques  2:14:39 What Makes a Successful Show?  2:29:30 Music City Audiology (Sponsor)  2:30:13 Closing Questions  2:34:47 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 Sonor Drums https://www.sonor.com Hercules Stands https://herculesstands.com Sonique Drums https://soniquedrums.com Music City Audiology https://www.musiccityaudiology.com Connect with Matt: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattnolandrums Music Featured in this Episode: "Whirlwind" (Live) - Lainey Wilson "Burn" - Matt Nolan ------ Interview by: Dan Ainspan, Nathan Sletner Recorded February 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