199 – Dusty Simmons: Playing with The Cris Jacobs Band, The Richmond Renaissance, Concepts from a Self-Taught Drummer

Dusty Simmons was born and raised in Richmond, VA, which he still calls home. He tours and records with The Cris Jacobs Band, and is part of multiple projects in Richmond. Dusty’s dad is a musician and had a garage full of instruments when Dusty was a kid. This is where and when Dusty began learning about music, and he was gigging by his sophomore year in high school. It has been non-stop gigging since then, be it in bands on the road and in the studio, in music stores, or as a drum tech and audio engineer. During his adult life, he has seen an explosion of art and music in Richmond, driven by locally grown creatives, locally owned and operated venues, labels, studios, and the prestigious art school at Virginia Commonwealth University. In this podcast, Dusty talks about * His main gig with the Cris Jacobs Band * His three Richmond-based tribute projects * Secretly practicing on his dad’s gear as a kid * The vibrant music and arts scene in Richmond * His Instagram Live show, “Diggin’ with Dusty” * How he learned to conceptualize drumming and music as a self-taught * The early experience that turned him off from formal music education * Thinking of a groove to a dance * Teching for Lamb of God’s Chris Adler *