American Idol drummer RJ Kelly joins Jarvis to talk about what it really takes to become a first-call musician in LA. RJ shares how getting fired from two jobs pushed him out of Kansas City, why he skipped music school (and what he'd tell young players now), and the mindset that's kept him working at the highest level for 15+ years.
We get into treating every gig like an audition, Andy Ward's potluck analogy for serving the song, how to network without being awkward, what happens when an MD changes the music five seconds before air, staying calm with 60+ songs on deck, why he's stayed loyal to Tama and Meinl, and the big one: how do you know what to charge when nobody posts the rates?
Real talk for drummers, session players, and anyone building a career in the music business.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open
1:00 From Kansas City to LA
8:31 Skipping music school: does RJ regret it?
20:52 Treat every gig like an audition
32:59 Serve the song
36:34 How to network in the music industry
44:34 Audition and gig prep advice
54:03 Inside the American Idol band
1:15:31 Drum endorsements
1:26:45 What should musicians charge?
CONNECT WITH RJ KELLY
Instagram: @rjkellymusic
CONNECT WITH JARVIS
Website: drummingwithjarvis.com
Instagram: @jarvisjeb
TikTok: @offscriptwithjarvis
