652 – Shawn Pelton: Live from New York!
What can be said about Shawn Pleton that hasn’t already been said? He burst on the NYC scene in the 1980’s and quickly became a first call drummer. But make no mistake about it, he paid his dues, grinding his way to the top, saying yes to every gig and honing his skills day in and day out. That hard work and dedication has helped his built a resume that anyone would envy.
Since 1992 he’s been the house drummer for Saturday Night Live while simultaneously managing a packed schedule of studio and touring dates that include a slew of artists, including Sheryl Crow, Shawn Colvin, Natalie Merchant, Ingrid Michaelson, Billy Joel, Van Morrison, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Johnny Cash, Rosanne Cash, Pink, Shakira, Kelly Clarkson, Five For Fighting, Michelle Branch, Regina Spektor, Tears for Fears, Citizen Cope, Matisyahu, Jonatha Brooke, David Byrne, Edie Brickell, Marc Cohn, Richie Havens, Joan Osborne, Hall and Oates, Odetta, Pavarotti, Phillip Phillips, George Michael, Carly Simon, Dixie Chicks, Chris Botti and Buddy Guy, and has played on several Grammy winning albums for artists including Ray Charles, The Brecker Brothers, Shawn Colvin, Les Paul and the Hank Williams tribute album with Bob Dylan. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
When asked, Shawn’s approach is pretty simple: Work hard, pay your dues, learn your craft and learn when you should either interject your opinions or just shut up and listen.
Shawn Pelton talks about
- Starting gigging at a young age
- How getting started in the industry has changed over time
- What it was like to move to NYC
- How he landed the SNL gig
- His biggest style influences
There’s so many sides to trying to sustain a career in the music business beyond just playing the drums.
Shawn Pelton