Keith Carlock:
MILESTONES
by George Lawrence
photo by Rob Shanahan
Keith Carlock is one busy drummer and hard to catch up with. career. He opened up about some of the same changes that
Besides touring the world and recording with everyone from most of us drummers must face; career choices, getting mar-
Steely Dan to James Taylor to John Mayer to Sting to Rascal ried, health issues, and even the death of a parent – the big
Flatts to Faith Hill, he also spends his days off from those dates milestones.
playing with two of his own instrumental bands, Rudder and
Krantz/Carlock/Lefebvre, AND plays gigs with his beautiful George: First off, for our rabid vintage readers, can you tell us
wife, singer Lynne Timmes Carlock. I was in Nashville this about any choice vintage stuff you have owned through the
past spring for a week of rehearsals with Poco and was able years?
to finally hook up with the Carlocks a couple of times that Keith: Not really, except maybe the first two kits I played
week. Keith and Lynne were playing at the Third & Lindsley could be considered vintage. I don’t know? My very first kit
bar downtown debuting her new CD and Keith played later was a standard 5-piece “Reuther” with a red sparkle finish. I
that night with Tom Hemby’s fusion band with Bill Champlin
sitting in on vocals. Of course he played his butt off and all
the drummers in the house were shaking their heads as usual. Lynne’s set was a fluent collection of songs from her latest
pop CD. She is a professional singer who made a living as a
jingle singer and voice over artist in the big apple. A couple of
nights later we three went to a popular restaurant in Franklin
TN where Lynne and Keith live when not in their Manhattan
digs. They make a great couple and it was good to talk to them
together and see the family side of Keith. I was Keith’s drum
set teacher when he was a teenager at the first George’s Drum
Shop in Mississippi. We reminisced about those days a bit and
talked about the usual drummer interview stuff, but then the
conversation turned toward deeper experiences that Keith has
