194 – Sean Paddock: Touring w/ Kenny Chesney, Recording and Producing in a Home Studio

Growing up in Watertown, NY, Sean Paddock started playing the drums at the age of four, and within a year was sitting in, performing live with his musician parents, Don Paddock (bassist) and Claudia Paddock (singer, guitarist) at local nightclubs. By the time he was 9-years-old, Sean had begun formal drum lessons and participated in the school band program. At fourteen, Sean and his family moved to Arizona where he continued his involvement in variety of high school music groups, including marching band, orchestra and stage band. It was during his high school years that he started his music career as a semi-pro, playing paid gigs with his father. After high school, Sean was working as a full-time musician, playing the local music seen both in Phoenix and northern New York.

In 1996, Sean traveled to Nashville to check out the music scene, heard that Kenny Chesney needed a drummer, auditioned and landed the gig which he’s been playing ever since.

Besides Kenny Chesney, Sean has worked with such rock and country icons as Vince Gill, Sammy Hagar, John Mellencamp, Steve Miller, George Strait, and numerous others. His televised appearances with Chesney include The Grammy’s, Austin City Limits, Sound Stage, the ACM, CMA, AMA award shows, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Late Show with Letterman, Good Morning America, and Today Show. Sean can also be seen in many of Kenny Chesney’s music videos, as well as the Summer In 3D Movie.

When not on the road, Sean is back in Nashville — doing recording sessions with an A-list team of musicians or tracking drums at his home studio.

In this episode, Sean talks about:

* The importance of mic placement, creating phase coherence, kit placement, etc when recording at home 

* Tracking and producing full tracks with all instruments

* Touring with Kenny Chesney 

* The realities of touring with a major label act 

* How he got the gig with Kenny

* Being authentic on the gig

* Recounting the flood of 2010 and how it affected tour production

* Final words of advice in maintaining sanity on the road 

Sean endorses: Tama Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks, Evans Drumheads, Audio Technica, Puresound Snare Wires