Best session drummers in the United States: who to book in 2026

Finding the right session drummer in the United States for 2026

Autumn is one of the busiest periods in the American music calendar — touring schedules are still running hard, corporate events and function-band bookings are ramping up for the party season, and artists are pushing to wrap studio projects before the year closes out. Whether you need someone to lock down a live set, cut tracks remotely, or commit to a full run of dates, the players listed here are London Drumstick Co. endorsed artists available for exactly those kinds of engagements. All enquiries go directly to each drummer — LDC charges no commission and takes no cut — so you deal with the artist, not a middleman. Below is a shortlist of eight players based across the United States, each suited to different briefs.

Chris Georgenes

Chris is a session artist who performs with the Boston Naturals, the Dan Labich Band, and French Lick, bringing a grounding in soul, rock, blues, and funk to both live and recorded work. He tracks remotely from his home studio — with credits already landing on major streaming platforms — and is comfortable playing to a click, mixing, and supplying stems. Chris will also travel internationally for the right project.

View Chris Georgenes' profile | Book Chris

Garrett Quinn Humble

Based in Los Angeles, California, Garrett plays with The Knolls and Poli Van Dam, covering punk rock, ska, jazz, and marching styles. He describes himself as a problem solver first — equally comfortable learning pre-written parts or collaborating as a full creative partner to develop and arrange something new. Garrett is available for gigs, studio sessions, remote work from his home studio, and full tours, and he will travel internationally.

View Garrett Quinn Humble's profile | Book Garrett

Gary Wiseman

Gary is the drummer for Bowling for Soup, based in Dallas, Texas, and works across rock, punk, pop punk, and country. He offers live gigs, studio sessions, and remote recording from his home studio, and notes he has a wide range of gear available — so it's worth getting in touch to discuss what your project needs. Dallas sits within reach of Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio, making Gary a practical choice for Texas-based engagements.

View Gary Wiseman's profile | Book Gary

Gunnar Coston

Gunnar is known for his work with WICKED and brings a primary focus on hard rock and heavy metal, though he is quick to point out that he has worked across pop, rock, dance, punk, and country too. His studio setup is built around a Sonor SQ2 Birch kit — with 22×18 bass drum, multiple toms, a Yamaha Recording Brass snare, and a wide variety of Zildjian cymbals — making it a serious remote recording option. He is available for studio sessions, remote work, and live gigs.

View Gunnar Coston's profile | Book Gunnar

Nico Jansen

Nico is based in Austin, Texas, and has played with Crobot, Trip Cigs, Mugdog, Dom Francis, and Allisen & the Wy's Guys, covering rock, funk, and hip hop/rap. He is available for studio sessions, remote recording from his home studio, full tours, and will travel internationally — a strong option if you need someone with serious live-touring experience who can also deliver in the studio. Austin's central position makes him accessible to a broad stretch of the southern and central United States.

View Nico Jansen's profile | Book Nico

Parker Yowell

Parker is based in Winchester, Virginia, and currently plays for Mire Lore, with previous credits including Jungle Rot, System House 33, Screams of Syrens, and The Archaic Epidemic. His genre range runs from metal, metalcore, death metal, and deathcore through to rock, pop, and country, and he records with multiple kits — both birch and ash ddrum setups. Parker is open to gigs, full tours, studio sessions, remote recording, and international travel, and Winchester sits within reach of Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Richmond.

View Parker Yowell's profile | Book Parker

Stix Zadinia

Stix is the drummer for Steel Panther, based in Kansas City, Missouri, and covers rock, pop, country, and styles going back to the 1950s and 60s. He plays a five-piece DW kit with Sabian cymbals, a Porter and Davies throne, and LDC drumsticks, and is available for live gigs, studio sessions, remote recording, and full tours — including international travel. Kansas City's central geography makes him a realistic option for engagements across a wide area of the Midwest.

View Stix Zadinia's profile | Book Stix

Todd Trainer

Todd is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is best known as the drummer for Shellac and Education, working in rock. He is available for studio sessions, recording with a Ludwig Classic Maple kit in silver sparkle with a 20-inch bass drum, 12-inch tom, and 14-inch floor tom, paired with Bosphorus cymbals including 15-inch hi-hats and an 18-inch crash and a 20-inch crash-ride. Minneapolis sits within reach of St Paul, Madison, and the wider Upper Midwest, and Todd's focused studio availability makes him ideal for projects where the recording itself is the priority.

View Todd Trainer's profile | Book Todd

Choosing the right player

A few practical things worth thinking through before you reach out:

• Live vs studio vs remote — check each drummer's listed services carefully. Some players cover all three; others, like Todd, focus specifically on studio sessions. Remote recording is a strong option if you are working to a tight timeline or budget and do not need the drummer on-site.
• Genre fit — the players here span a wide range. Match the drummer's primary strengths to your project rather than assuming versatility covers everything.
• Travel — several of these artists will travel internationally, but confirm logistics and availability upfront, especially for full tours where lead time matters.
• Gear — some players have detailed their kit setups above. If your project has specific sonic requirements, raise those early so there are no surprises.

How to book

The full list of LDC endorsed drummers available for hire across the United States — along with further information on each artist — can be found on the United States drummers for hire page. All bookings go directly to each musician with no agency commission involved. Use the individual book links above to get in touch with the specific player you have in mind.

Last updated October 2026.