Rodney Elkins

Only in his mid 30s, Rodney Elkins has drummed professionally for more than 20 years, having begun touring and playing drums at age 12 for his dad’s classic country unit, The Elkins Brothers Band. A 2014 jazz studies graduate of the Marshall University College of Music, Elkins was the drummer for Marshall Jazz Ensemble’s European tour that included performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Influenced by a wild kaleidoscope of drummers including Levon Helm, Steve Gadd, Steve Jordan, James Gadson, and old jazzers like Art Blakey, Elkins, has held the drum chair and often times backing vocals for his long-time friend, Tyler Childers. For the past 10 years it has been an adventure in feeling out the right rhythm and textures to wrap the right sonic cloak around his great songs culminating in 2022’s album Can I Take My Hounds To Heaven? and most recently 2023’s Rustin’ In The Rain. Amidst the pandemic of 2020, Elkins revived an old project El Dorodo with longtime best friends and Foodstamp bandmates, where he occupies the throne and sings lead vocals. They released UnIncorporated in 2023 via Hickman Holler records and Thirty Tigers to critical acclaim.

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