This is the extended interview with Matt Vander Ende, the drummer for Broadway’s Wicked. Subscribe to my Broadway Drumming 101 Newsletter so you’ll know when future episodes are released! Broadway Drumming 101 is your one-stop shop for everything you’ll need to know about playing drums for broadway musicals. When you subscribe to The Broadway 101…
Read moreThe Long Journey of “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life And Times Of The Temptations
It took us a few years to get there, but we made it. From the rehearsals and out-of-town opening at The Berkeley Rep Theater in 2017, to the Kennedy Center in the summer of 2018. Then, on to Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles and finishing up at the Princess Of Wales Theater in Toronto. We…
Read moreClayton Craddock: Drumming for “Ain’t Too Proud,” Constructing Your Own Safety Net – Episode 221
Clayton Craddock’s drumming career spans decades and numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals. He’s currently the drummer of the Broadway Show Ain’t Too Proud-The Life And Times Of the Temptations. Clayton has held the drum chair for several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including “Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, and Lady Day At Emerson’s…
Read moreIt’s The Little Thing That Matter – The Impact Of a Handwritten Note
As I continue to explore ideas surrounding networking, I thought I’d continue with a post about one of my annual traditions – sending out handwritten notes. Several years ago, I began sending holiday cards. Reaching out to those I cared about to say hello or spread good cheer during the holidays seemed like a great…
Read moreBroadway Lives Matter
I keep reading about all of the people who are on unemployment, sitting around collecting the supplemental $600 in federal pandemic money on top of their state’s unemployment benefit. In an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows implied that federal money shouldn’t be extended because it “paid people to stay…
Read moreDrumming for “Ain’t Too Proud” – The Miller Machine
When I first got the call to start working on Ain’t Too Proud – The Life And Times Of The Temptations, I was curious about which era the show was going to focus on. Their career began in the early 1960’s and they’re still releasing albums today. I first heard of The Temptations when I…
Read moreThinking Of Her – On Mothers Day
Last Saturday, I sat in my drum booth in-between shows and did a little practicing. I scrolled through some of my favorite songs on certain playlists and just happened to come across the album by Lenny Kravitz called “5.” I feel it’s, by far, his best and most consistent album. One of my favorites is…
Read moreHow To Become Better At Networking – Here are five tips that can help make connecting with people a little easier.
I often encounter musicians who tell me they suck at networking. They’re the kind of person who, in their formative years, spent hours learning how to play their instrument but little time on meeting other musicians. I’ve heard complaints from my colleagues about the lack of work or when work is slow. There are always…
Read moreFive Things You Need To Know About Playing Drums On A Broadway Show
If you are at all interested in finding work as a musician playing drums on a Broadway musical, I can certainly give a few tips. I’ve been fortunate to have played in several over the past 20 years and I’ve learned a little from each one I’ve been in. Each of the shows I’ve done…
Read morePapa Was A Rolling Stone
This song is just amazing. I love playing it every night at my show Ain’t Too Proud. The strings, the guitar, bass, harp, keys, drums, percussion, horns, woodwinds….all working together to play such a beautiful intro: Clayton Craddock is an independent thinker, father of two beautiful children in New York City. He has written about…
Read more