Carlock, Keith (USA)

Keith Carlock, born and raised in Mississippi, studied music for four years at North Texas State University. After leaving school, he played professionally in the Dallas, Fort Worth area for several years. Now based in New York City, Keith has been recording, touring, and performing with various artists: Sting, Steely Dan, Wayne Krantz, Grover Washington, Jr., Harry Belafonte, David Johansen and the Harry Smiths (New York Dolls, Buster Poindexter), Paula Abdul (Virgin recording artist), The Blues Brothers (the original movie band), Heads Up Superband featuring Joe McBride, Gerald Veasley and Kenny Blake, Will Lee (bass legend, Late Night with David Letterman), Richard Bona (Zawinul Syndicate, solo artist), Andy Timmons Band (Sony Japan), Michael English (Curb), Pamela Williams (Heads Up), Tim Miner (Motown), Bernard Wright (Marcus Miller, Miles Davis, Jamaica Boys), Leni Stern, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Lou Marini (Blues Brothers, Saturday Night Live), Jimi Tunnell (Steps Ahead), The Drifters & The Cherelles, Adam Holzman (Miles Davis), Peter Noone (Herman’s Hermits), Bette Midler, Rhett Tyler, David Binney.

Keith recorded with Steely Dan in November 1997 for their first studio album in 20 years, Two Against Nature. The album won four Grammy Awards including “2001 Album of the Year.” Keith recently worked again with Becker and Fagen on another Steely Dan record. He also recorded a taping of Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz NPR radio show with them, aired in February 2003.

He performed live and recorded with David Johansen and the Harry Smiths (Europe, US), releasing Shaker on Chesky Records, and toured with Leni Stern, including on her album Finally the Rain Has Come.

Keith has played live and recorded with Steely Dan, Leni Stern, Jane Getter, David Johansen, Rhett Tyler, and Freddie Cole. In March 1998, he recorded a live album with the Heads Up Superband featuring Gerald Veasley, Joe McBride and Kenny Blake.

Since early 1998, Keith has played drums worldwide with the original Blues Brothers Band in support of Blues Brothers 2000 (featuring Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Lou “Blue Lou” Marini, Alan Rubin, Birch Johnson and Leon Pendarvis). He also performs occasionally with the Nuff Brothers Band in NYC.

Keith has performed with Harry Belafonte and has recorded and toured with luminaries such as Sting, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Diana Ross, Faith Hill, The Blues Brothers Band, Leni Stern, David Johansen and the Harry Smiths, Richard Bona, Chris Botti, Wayne Krantz, John Mayer, Oz Noy, Clay Aiken, Rascal Flatts, Paula Abdul and Grover Washington, Jr.

In 2004, he toured with Sting. Further tours followed with Steely Dan, James Taylor, Rudder and John Mayer.

Keith was voted #1 Pop Drummer, #1 Fusion Drummer and #1 Best All-Around Drummer in Modern Drummer’s 2009 Readers Poll.

Keith endorses Yamaha drums, Zildjian cymbals, Remo heads and Regal Tip sticks.