Session Drummer | Studio Drummer | Touring and Worship Drummer for Hire | Dale Baker

This past weekend I played with Dave Spencer again up in Greensboro. Wade Baynham was playing as well and we all had a great time playing together again. Since our last gig with Dave, I played at Emmaus Way with him (you can listen to the podcast here) and purchased a huge old 26" x 10" marching bass drum (which you can also hear on the podcast.) I'm excited about my bass drum purchase as it rounds out my collection of great sounding kick drums and will also sound great on the acoustic type gigs I play from time to time.

Last Sunday I played with Mike and Shelly down at Providence Baptist Church and really enjoyed my time meeting some new folks and being a part of a different community. I hope to play there again. This Thursday night, I'm playing with Mike and Shelly again, at NC State. We'll be playing for a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting at Reynolds Coliseum. I've heard that there is a Jamba Juice franchise on the campus, so I might strike out on my own and try to get a little taste of Southern California while I'm there...

Through the rest of this month, and into the first week of October, I'll be one of the judges for the Guitar Center's Drum Solo Competition. Last Wednesday I had a blast sitting with Will McFarlane and one other judge, listening and judging and cheering on the competitors. If you don't have anything better to do on Wednesday from 6:00-7:30, I encourage to come down to your local Guitar Center and cheer on the brave and talented folks who are trying to become this year's champion drum solo artist!

Oh, and one other tidbit, I'm not sure how Sixpence got on this compilation, but I'm glad to be a part of it. Here's the blurb, via VOA:

"On September 11, Time Life will release the 4-CD box set Four Decades Of Folk Rock, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and The Mamas & the Papas. Disc 2 covers the 1970s with acts like James Taylor, the Grateful Dead, Joan Baez and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Disc 3 features such 1980s stars as the Bangles, Dexys Midnight Runners, R.E.M. and Suzanne Vega. The fourth disc includes tracks from the 1990s and beyond, performed by Sixpence None the Richer, Shawn Colvin, Natalie Merchant, The Corrs, and others."

Oh, and before I go, I always get a kick out of comments like the one Jen Klee made at Hot Indie News about the band I used to play in. She was talking about artist Susan Barth and reviewing her new CD, "Wonderland:"

"Shes there' is kind of flat and lacking as much substance as a lot of the other great songs but somehow this one is still a good song. Another Dressy Bessy without the retroness feel. Or Sixpence None the Richer without the suck."

Oh, come on now...really? She must have never read this post from a few years ago...

And if you get a chance check out this year's HopeFest. They've got a stellar line-up coming and the venue is just amazing. You gotta go just to sit on one of the "sub" cabinets disguised as a bench. They've also got one of the coolest poster designs I've seen in awhile. I'm hoping I can get one from Bill when I see him next.

My Drumming On CD

Sixpence None the Richer: This Beautiful Mess
The second CD Sixpence recorded was my first with the band. We tracked the rhythm tracks in 4 days at Omni Sound studios in Nashville. Armand John Petri produced and many fans say that this is their favorite Sixpence album.
Sixpence None The Richer: Sixpence None The Richer
The Grammy nominated, RIAA Certified Platinum selling album that featured the breakout hit, "Kiss Me." Produced by Steve Taylor and wonderfully engineered and mixed by Russ Long, with additional mixing by Bob Clearmountain. The follow-up hit, "There She Goes" was also later added to this album.
Sixpence None the Richer: The Best of Sixpence None the Richer
Includes the hits "Kiss Me," "There She Goes," and "Breathe Your Name" and many other of the songs I played on and helped promote during my 7+ years with the band.
Sixpence None the Richer: Tickets for a Prayer Wheel
Out-takes and B-Sides from Sixpence's "This Beautiful Mess" CD. There were some extended jams, a live track, some moody percussion and even a re-mix done by friend and former roommate, Sal Salvador. Not only does this CD feature my drumming, and vocals(!), but I make my producing debut on this album with an angst-filled vibey take on an old Patsy Cline song.
Sixpence None the Richer: Mega 3 Collection
Includes Sixpence's first 3 CD's. Of these 3 CD's my drumming only appears on the 2nd and 3rd disc. The first CD featured the drumming of Chris Dodds, one of my favorite people and drummers.
Sixpence None the Richer: There She Goes
CD single of the 11th hour addition to Sixpence's self-titled album which helped solidify Sixpence as a legitmate "Breakthrough Artist" according to R&R magazine. The song went on to become a Top 10 Single with an appealing video (featuring "Saving Private Ryan" star, Adam Goldberg), by director and good friend of the band, Brandon Dickerson.
Sixpence None the Richer: Breathe Your Name / Northern Lights
CD single of the Top 20 hit, Breathe Your Name w/ non-album track Northern Lights, from Sixpence's Divine Discontent record. Both songs feature my drumming.
Sixpence None the Richer: Collage: A Portrait of Their Best
A compilation of the best tracks from the band's REX years. And yes, that's me in the corner with the beard and glasses.
Sixpence None the Richer: Kiss Me
Imported Single of the most played song from the year 2000. This song features my drumming and went to the top of the charts in over 10 countries (US, UK, Canada, Israel, Japan, etc...). I also appeared in all the videos and TV appearances that helped promote this song. Interesting side note: this song was chosen by Britain's Royal Family to be played for over 200 Million viewers during Prince Edward's 1999 wedding.
Sixpence None the Richer: I Can't Catch You
Import Single of a song from the band's self-titled album. This was one of the songs Bob Clearmountain mixed and it was honor to have him work his magic on my drum tracks!
...The Basics: Grow
I was really happy how this record turned out. An honest, well produced CD by a couple of North Carolina's (and Northern California's) best songwriters. I also took the photos that appear in the CD booklet.
[Various Artists]: City on a Hill: Collection
I played on the first City on a Hill CD as well as a track or two on the second CD.
[Various Artists]: Return Of The Grievous Angel: Tribute To Gram Parsons
I played drums with the Rolling Creek Dippers, aka: Buddy and Julie Miller, Victoria Williams, Mark Olsen, Jim Lauderdale.
[Various Artists]: Roaring Lambs
I played drums with Sixpence None the Richer, Emmylou Harris, Steve Taylor and percussion with Burlap to Cashmere on this CD.
[Various Artists]: Exodus
I played with Sixpence None the Richer, Michael W. Smith, and Kenny Meeks on this CD.
Kim Taylor: So Black, So Bright
I played drums on this CD that was produced by Jack Henderson. This is one of my favorite projects to have played on. Some of the tracks feature Linford and Karin from Over the Rhine as well.
Frankly Scarlet: Stories I've Heard
I played and recorded with this band back when I lived in Dallas. We even shot a video...with the Dallas skyline as our backdrop.
[Various Artists]: Making God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson
I played drums and percussion (timpani, chimes, beat box) on Jason Harrod's version of "In My Room" for this Brian Wilson tribute album.
Rebecca St. James: Transform
I played on a track produced by Matt Bronlewee, that featured the London Symphony Orchestra and some very "Bjork" sounding vocals by Rebecca. I think we did about 40 tracks of various percussion overdubs for this track too.
[Various Artists]: Never Say Dinosaur
My first time to work with producer Brent Bourgeois and one of my first times in the studio with Sixpence. I borrowed a whole bunch of percussion from Steve Hindalong and had a great time overdubbing frame drums, rattan shakers and the like. The track ended up sounding very Daniel Lanois-ish with some Peter Gabriel-esq type layers thrown in for good measure.
Phantasmic: Fluffy Vs. Phantasmic
"Rainy Day Assembly" appears on this record. This out-take from Sixpence's "This Beautiful Mess" session was used by Tess Wiley (aka, Phantasmic) and features shaker performed by percussion wiz Lalo Davila.
Honey: Lost on You
I played on two tracks from this record produced by Dan and Steve from Jars of Clay.
[various artists]: Here On Earth (2000 Film)
This Soundtrack album features two songs I did with Sixpence, one a cover of a Sam Phillips/ T-Bone Burnett song: "I Need Love" and the other, the opening track ("We Have Forgotten") from Sixpence's self-titled record.
[various artists]: Snow Day: Music From The Motion Picture
Sixpence's version of The La's tune, "There She Goes" is on this soundtrack album. And yes, I'm playing drums on that song...
[various artists]: Bounce: Music from and Inspired by the Miramax Motion Picture (2000 film)
Another song ("Love") I did with Sixpence from their self-titled album, appears on this soundtrack. Mark Nash and I played a drum duet of sorts to get the primal heavy-handed approach needed for this wonderful song.
[various artists]: Dick
One of my favorite tracks. Everytime I hear this song ("Dancing Queen"), I can't help but think of Alan Partridge.
Sixpence None the Richer: Divine Discontent
Even though I quit playing with the band in 2001, the bulk of this record was recorded in 2000, and so my playing is featured on more than half the tracks on this record. Produced by Paul Fox, beautifully engineered by Mark Chevalier and mixed by Tom Lord-Alge.
Sixpence None the Richer: The Early Years
New Sixpence compilation from the REX years. Includes songs and b-sides from the early work I recorded with Sixpence - pre "Kiss Me" era.
Steve Hindalong, et.al: City on a Hill: Reflections on Our Spiritual Journey (Ccm Book)
Okay, this is a book. But I wrote the first essay that appears in the book and took all the photos that appear as well. You can actually read my essay by clicking this link and "looking inside the book." Fun, huh?
Various Artists: Pointfolio 1.0
A radio station compilation featuring in-studio and concert live cuts. Includes, Sixpence doing "Kiss Me"(with me on drums), and Fleming and John's "Ugly Girl", Dido, BareNaked Ladies, etc.
Plumb
Loops, fragments of songs and lots of percussion is what I remember from this session. Producer Dan Haseltine and Matt Bronlewee made this a fun and creative time in the studio. It was great to be a part of the debut album of such a phenomenal artist (am I gushing to much here?).
[various Artists] : Felicity: Senior Year (tv soundtrack)
Features "Melody of You" a beautiful song by Sixpence None the Richer that I played drums on and was featured on the series final episode (I think).

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