Bill Withers. The Police. Rick James. Earth, Wind, and Fire. Led Zeppelin. Prince.

 

These were some of the first words I learned after the usual “Mama” and “Dada”.  Music was just as common than food in my childhood home. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was heavily indoctrinated by the sounds of Tower of Power, Journey, Sly and the Family Stone, Metallica, Tony! Toni! Tone! and Digital Underground. Thanks to my parents and older brothers, I developed an early obsession for music.

 

This obsession led to years in local bands, youth and community orchestras and the Concord Blue Devils drum and bugle corps. Lessons with Marc Van Wageningen and the late, great Tony Williams would soon follow. This same obsession took me to the East Coast to pursue a bachelor’s degree at William Paterson University in New Jersey. After years spent getting my career started in the New York jazz scene, I decided to head south and focus on the well-rounded Nashville scene.

 

My love for a diverse range of music has only blossomed since moving to Nashville. Since 2006, I have worked with BONNIE TYLER, DR. JOHN, ALISON KRAUS, JOHN CARTER CASH, JAMES OTTO , JIMMY HALL, TOMMY SIMS, DELBERT McCLINTON, GARY NICHOLSON, RACHEL LAMPA, IRMA THOMAS, KURT ELLING, EVEN STEVENS, CHARLIE HUNTER, THE McCRARY SISTERS, CHARLIE PEACOCK,  JACK PEARSON, SHELLY FAIRCHILD, ERIN BODE, GREG OSBY, RONNY JORDAN, DAVE DOUGLAS and LEE FIELDS. My drumming can be heard on the “NASHVILLE” TV SHOW SOUNDTRACK “Season 5, Volume 3”, VANESSA WILLIAMS’ “The Real Thing”, MICHAEL MCDONALD’S “This Christmas”, and ROBBEN FORD’S “Purple House” among many others. In 2009, I released own solo project entitled Derrek Phillips’ Manufactory. The music is a unique blend of hip-hop, r, electronica, drum-n-bass, jazz, and spoken word. The recording, “Offering”, is out on Rope-a-dope Records.

 

In 2014, I became HANK WILLIAMS JR’S drummer.  That same year, I received my first Grammy for MIKE FARRIS’ “Shine For All The People” on drums and percussion. I currently chair the drum seat for chart-topping Country artist BRETT ELDREDGE and received my SECOND Grammy for his performances on GLORIA GAYNOR’S “Testimony” in 2020.

 

I currently endorsed by Pearl Drums, Istanbul Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Alclair Audio In-ear montiors, Drum Dots, Stack Ring Percussion and Vater Sticks.