My name is Pat McDonald and I'm from the small town of St. Simons Island, GA. I began playing drums around the age of twelve. I participated in junior high and high school music programs and, by the time I graduated, had been drumline captain in the school’s award-winning marching band for two years, played in the Georgia State Talent Contest winning band “MEGA”, and placed second in the Jacksonville, FL. “Carmine Appice/ Synsonics Drums Drum Battle” drum contest.
After high school, I joined my first band, “CARUSO” and played the Florida/Georgia “A” club circuit for two years. “CARUSO” performed as the opening act for many well known acts such as Pat Travers, Sea Level, and The Steve Morse Band.
After “CARUSO”, I attended Georgia Southern College for one year where I played snare drum in the marching band, percussion in the concert band, and drumset in the jazz ensemble. From G.S.C. I moved on to Boston’s Berklee College of Music where I studied Harmony, Ear Training, Music Production, and Drumset. While in Boston, I studied drumset privately with world-renowned instructor Gary Chaffee.
After leaving Berklee, I began “sorting it all out” in various Top-40 and cruise ship bands until I was offered the drum chair with “FLIGHTPATH”, the house band at Sarasota, Florida’s Downunder Jazz Bar. Because of it’s close proximity to the only major concert venue in town, the club was visited by many world-class musicians who came over after their shows to sit-in. Some of the band’s guests include Jeff Berlin, Neil Larsen, Alex Ligertwood, Kenny Drew Jr., Howard Levy, The Tonite Show Band, Spyro Gyra, and many more. Performing with these world class players helped give me a stronger insight into just how the “big guys” do what they do.
After “FLIGHTPATH” I joined Ichiban/Polystar recording artist Richy Kicklighter and played in numerous large, regional jazz festivals and shows. After a brief stint with Richy’s band I was offered the drum spot with Sarasota local favorite and co-author of The Allman Brothers Band’s “No One To Run With”, John Prestia. The John Prestia Group recorded it’s first C.D. “What’s Done Is Done” in October 1993, and it’s second,”The Last One Taken” in February, 1995. We received many favorable reviews and substantial regional airplay, and kept extremely busy in the local and regional scene. I kept busier still with a full time roster of students. While in Sarasota, I recorded with Dickey Betts for ‘The Songs Of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute” on Sony Records. In addition, I was a finalist in the Thoroughbred Music “ Best Unsigned Drummer In The Country” contest in October, 1994.
In April, 1997 I “made the big move” to Nashville to further my career in a major music center and haven’t looked back since. Relocation to Nashville has proven to be an extremely positive step. Within a few months of my arrival I was offered the drum spot with country music legend Tanya Tucker. In between touring the country with Tanya, I kept very busy with local work and a growing calendar of session work. Nashville also gave me the opportunity to perform live and/or record with other well known artists such as Victor Wooten, Leon Russell, Reese Wynans, Jimmy Hall, Dash Crofts, Louie Shelton, Bonnie Bramlett, Johnny Neel, Jim Horn and many others. The Nashville music scene has proven to be very diverse, allowing the opportunity to play many different styles of music from rock gigs, jazz gigs, country gigs, clinics to about anything else imaginable! Sometimes all in one single day!
Since March of 1999 I've been the drummer with The Charlie Daniels Band and have been touring the country non-stop, playing over 150 dates as well as playing with CDB as the host of TNN’s “Nascar Rocks” television special. I played with CDB on the first “Volunteer Jam Tour” in which CDB played host to artists such as Garth Brooks, Lee Roy Parnell, Billy Ray Cyrus, Ricky Medlocke, Tracy Byrd, Travis Tritt, Dan Baird and numerous others. The band is reprising the tour again in 2000 with a new list of guests all over the USA. I recently completed tracks for CDB’s newest recording, “Road Dogs” for Spring 2000 release. I'm currently keeping very busy and loving every minute of it!
Initially attracted to drums after seeing Peter Criss with KISS in the mid 70’s, I can list many influences in my drumming career: the double-bass work of Tommy Aldridge and Simon Phillips, the technical wizardry of Neil Peart ,Steve Smith, Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers, and Vinnie Colaiuta, the flowing swing of Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Marvin ”Smitty” Smith, and Peter Erskine, and the incredible groove of Jeff Porcaro, Ricky Lawson, Steve Gadd, and Steve Ferrone. With all of these influences peeking out, I feel confident in my ability to handle a wide variety of musical styles. So far, that ability has kept me employed steadily for the last ten + years.
