Sabian - Because Sound Matters

Jim Riley (Rascal Flatts) and Rich Redmond (Jason Aldean): Friends travelling the roads of success

Oct 29, 2007

This summer, longtime friends Jim Riley (Rascal Flatts) and Rich Redmond (Jason Aldean) played a total of 55 dates together, as the 'Still Feels Good Tour' - with attendance ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 per show - became one of the most successful tours of 2007. Jim and Rich also recently celebrated their 10th anniversary as players in the Nashville scene, having moved there the same week in early 1997. "We have a similar style, musical attitude and background", says Rich. "I met him at The University of North Texas when I was starting my Masters program. Jim had just graduated and was playing in the Dallas area. We hadn't seen each other since then, so meeting up in Nashville was a nice surprise."

"I was living in my truck with my dog when Rich and I met again," said Jim. "He asked me if I would move into his apartment and watch his cat while he went out of town to do a gig. That's how we became roommates."

Jim's first break in Nashville came in 1998, when he was hired to drum with Mark Chesnutt. "That was a big deal," he says. "It's hard to get anyone to take a chance on a new guy." In 1999 he toured with Hank Williams III, but it was when he joined then unknown Rascal Flatts that things took off. You can hear him on the two latest Rascal Flatts albums as well as Brian McKnight's Ten. Rich has toured and recorded with a 'who's who' of the Nashville scene, all the while working with Aldean. "We cut Jason's debut record in 2004 and we haven't stopped since", he says. Jason has had four Top 10 singles and videos, plus the #1 hit, "Why". He is currently touring his sophmore album, Relentless.

For cymbals, both like sounds that are dark and musical, but muscular enough to reach the back row.
Jim plays 18" and 19" AAX Xplosion crashes, a 22" HHX Legacy Heavy Ride, 14" Medium Hats and an 18" HHX O-Zone Crash. "The O-Zone is a great compromise between a crash and a china," says Jim. Rich is using 15" AA Rock Hats, a 20" HHX Evolution Ride, two 19" Signature Saturation crashes, a 19" Paragon Chinese, and a 12" Splash stacked on an inverted 12" Mini Chinese.

On TV, Jim played The Grammy Show, Letterman, Leno, the Today Show, Good Morning America, Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve, the American Music Awards, the Country Music Awards, and The Academy of Country Music Awards and others, while Rich appeared on Leno and The Jimmy Kimmel Show. Both played the CMA MusicFest.

In Nashville, Rich is on upcoming releases by The Roadhammers, Lila McCann, Steve Azar and the Bell Brothers. He also records for Nashville's finest songwriters, including Brian Davis, Kelly Archer, Eldon Huff, Arliss Albritton, and leads The 3 Kings, one of Music City's leading showcase/recording rhythm sections. Rich has is launching 3 Kings Productions with a project featuring Deanna Johnston (Rockstar:INXS, The Singing Bee). Meanwhile, Jim has been focusing on his teaching, opening the Drum Dojo percussion studio, and performing over a dozen SABIAN clinics this year.

Catch Jim and Rich together on these tour dates:

10/12 Chicago....All State Arena
10/13 St.Louis...Scottrade Center
10/18 Pelham, Az. ...Verizon Wireless Arena
10/19 Atlanta, Georgia...Phillips Arena
10/20 Greenridge, South Carolina...Bi-Lo Center
10/25 Kansas City, Missouri...Sprint Center
10/26 Des Moines, Iowa...Wells Fargo Arena
10/27 St. Paul, Minnesota... Xcel Energy Center
11/3 West Palm Beach, Florida...Sound Advice Arena
11/4 Tampa, Florida...Ford Amphitheatre

Jim Riley
www.jimrileymusic.com
www.myspace.com/jimrileymusic


Rich Redmond
www.richredmond.com
www.myspace.com/richredmond
www.myspace.com/sessionrich1
www.myspace.com/kingsiii
www.jasonaldean.com
www.myspace.com/jasonaldean
www.rmanashville.com