

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew McNeill.
Hi Andrew, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Well, music is all I’ve ever known. I had very supportive parents growing up, as well as my older brother who is also a musician. They are the reason I stuck with it. They also introduced me to such a range of great music. Anything from Sinatra, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, BB King, Al Green, Stax, The Eagles, Beach Boys, James Taylor, The Beatles, Motown…..you name it, it was playing in my house. Not only did my family show me how to love people, they showed me how to love music. It was on from there.
I started taking drums seriously at the age of 7, when I began practicing every day. after school for hours. I fell in love with music very quickly, and it didn’t take long to decide that I wanted to dedicate my life to the pursuit of playing it full time. It was never a question.
From that age on I was playing in church, as well as at school and around town. Living just outside of Memphis started to influence me even more heavy when I quit marching band in high school and joined the Stax Music Academy. My experiences there, paired with my time at Berklee College of Music in Boston….really served me well. Competitive environments where I’m surrounded by a lot of musicians who are better than me, many people from different walks of life. It informed my playing and the way I relate to people. I found quite a few mentors and teachers that pushed me to dig deep. When I moved back home to Memphis, I began receiving calls to go on tour with different artists, started playing on records, and even began working as an assistant at Ardent Studios.
I viewed any place I found myself as another opportunity to become a better person, and to have experiences and time improve at my craft. I’ve got so much gratitude for my formative years as I start to grow older. It’s been a continual forward motion ever since.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve been blessed with opportunity and privilege, but any musician will tell you, it is NEVER a smooth road.
In high school, I was often overlooked(at no fault to anyone), and had to really make the tough decisions to pursue a road less traveled. I had raw talent, but remained with the tremendous task of putting the work in to sound better and make something meaningful of it, and to find people who cared about that pursuit just as much as I did. That’s why I went to Stax, to begin doing just that.
When I was at Berklee, I dealt with a huge amount of insecurity and self-doubt, though I was lucky that my friends and instructors helped me navigate it. That turned into confidence that I’ve never lost, and that has driven me to lovingly pursue my sound behind the drums.
When I was just 20, I suddenly lost my mom, which was by far my biggest setback, because she was my biggest fan. Navigating that loss/grief remains the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. For a while, it was affecting my playing in a bad way. But I will say, when you find yourself in pieces…at your lowest point…that’s where you find reinvention…that’s where you grow. That’s the chip on my shoulder that drives me to do better, and after a while….I found beauty even in a tremendous tragedy.
I’m grateful for the challenges I’ve faced.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a lucky man. I get to travel the world on tours, play drums and collaborate with songwriters in the studio, and most importantly, my lifelong pursuit of being a better musician has also become my professional career.
I love and appreciate every genre of music, and am always trying to avoid a flock mentality. I always want to do something that’s different from what everyone around me is doing. I find fulfillment in playing music like that. I consider myself deeply rooted in the drumming tradition created in Memphis(as well as American music in general), and that’s the point at which I jump off from.
I like serving the songs of the artists I’m working with. I want it to mean something special every single time. I believe in protecting the groove on stage, and in live shows having a forward motion. I believe in an intentional style of playing, and not having some preconceived notion before I even know what I’m about to play.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
More than anything, I’ve learned that in order to be a great musician with any kind of skill or unique talent, none of it matters if you’re not empathetic to the people around you. How you are living your life directly affects how you sound on your instrument. You must have humility and empathy. Your music won’t mean a thing if you aren’t coming from an honest and humble place. I’m preaching to myself too. Start there. Then put in the work and time to perfect your craft every single day. Find a sound/style that’s unique to you, while keeping an open mind to learning from other people and other traditions. As a creative, that’s helped me along thus far, and it is something I need to constantly remind myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.andrewmcneillmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amcneilldrums/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/amcneilldrums
Image Credits
Abigail Smack
Bryan Thomas
Kommodore Johnson
Bryant Cummings
Mikel Samel
Phil Clarkin
Peter Bernsmann