Feature Interview: "7 Questions on Leadership with Ken Lingad"

I actually forgot that I fielded this interview almost a year ago. It is a quick read that provides a glimpse into my daily life, lessons I’ve learned, and my philosophy in business. See the preview below, then follow the link to the rest — I hope you find some takeaways for your own adventures.

-KL

How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I don't believe in "someday" or "when I retire" states of mind. My "happily-ever-after" is now. That being said, I do not set an alarm clock (unless I am traveling). I've created the life I want, which includes waking up whenever I want to. I typically go to bed early — between 9:30-10pm — and rise between 5am and 6.

I begin my day with meditation and journaling to prepare for the day I envision having. I move to my back patio with a mug of bulletproof coffee and scan emails for any immediate situational needs, as I typically balance multiple time zones for business.

I arrive at my office between 9:30-11am, unless I have a previously scheduled meeting at an earlier time, and work until I complete the tasks at hand — usually around 6pm, but sometimes as late as 9pm, or so.

I travel frequently for business and pleasure, so the only difference is I typically work traditional hours — say 8am-6pm, and then the requisite business dinner, etc.

Bill Miller Band SELLS OUT The Caverns Sessions Festival

Was so honored to share the stage with my client, Bill Miller, for his SOLD OUT appearance at The Caverns Sessions 2023 Festival! Bill asked me to handle the percussionist duties, while my brother from the ‘Burque days, Doug Bossi, was tapped to shred his electric 6-string, and the HUGE audience loved everything about it!

I was humbled, blessed, and honored to be entrusted with the sacred traditional powwow drum of the GRAMMY award-winning Black Eagle Singers from the Indian Pueblo of Jemez to bring my BOOM to the beats — for our Native American Dance Troupe and the sold-out crowd in the majestic venue.

Our performance will be broadcast internationally on The Caverns Sessions on PBS in Fall 2023.

Ken Lingad featured with Bill Miller for TV Series

I’m excited to be a part of this new TV series with 3-time GRAMMY-winning legend Bill Miller! We are the featured act for the grand finale of the new series, Ear To The Common Ground, filming this April in a barn on historic Cash Lane in Music City — a truly special place that once was the home of Country Music Hall Of Fame royalty: June Carter, Carl Smith, Marty Stuart, Patsy Cline, Jim Denney, Mother Maybelle Carter — as well as Carlene Carter, Cindy Cash, and more. The series will air next fall and each of the 12 episodes will feature one artist and one topic. Eight super fans of each artist will come together and each will bring a dish to the table.

The series will highlight the wonderful diversity of America in many ways: ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, geography and, most importantly, the project will celebrate the diversity of thought and opinion. Other episodes will feature Kyshona Armstrong, Gustavo Guerrero, Sam Lewis, Louis York, She Returns From War, Sister Sadie, Frank Solivan, Minton Sparks, SUSTO, Sweet Lizzy Project, and Wu Fei.

We all know and feel the power that music has to bring people together and we all know and feel how distant many Americans feel from each other these days. While we can disagree with our fellow Americans on issues, we can also BREAK BREAD with them, LAUGH with them, RESPECT them, HAVE COMPASSION for them, and hopefully find some common ground. A show like this should be on television — now, it will!

Each episode is 30 minutes long and will feature a diversity of opinions on each issue: right, left, and middle. At the end of the dinner party, Bill Miller and I will bring a dessert to share and then perform a few songs in the spirit of bringing people together through music and food. The topic that will be discussed in our episode is “Freedom of Religion / Separation of Church & State” with a filming date of April 12, 2022 in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee.

2012 interview with Ken Lingad about his Drum Gear

WOW! Came across this old interview from February 29, 2012 on Facebook — can’t believe the last 10 years flew by so fast! My selection of gear has changed a little — not too much — but some things never will. See here for current set-up.

Enjoy the following read:

1680 Artists agent Natalia Livingston sat down for a few minutes with Yamaha Drums Artist Ken Lingad to ask about his gear and groove.  Here are some excerpts:

NATALIA LIVINGSTON: How long have you been playing professionally, and how long have you been a Yamaha Performing Artist?

KEN LINGAD: Wow...now I'll sound old [LAUGHS] - almost 25 years making money [LAUGHS]...Yamaha signed me to their artist/clinician roster in '91 - been with them ever since.

NL: What are you most recognized for from a musical perspective by your peers and colleagues in the music industry?

KL: I've always tried to lay down a solid groove for other musicians to springboard off of.  I don't get in their way with a fill every other bar.  I fill according to what I think is fatihfully appropriate to the integrity of the style.  If it is an R&B tune, foundation is everything, not soloing.  If it is a salsa tune, I remain faithful to the established clave' feel. The cats I play with tend to appreciate that.

NL: I've noticed a lot of drummers have attended your recent shows at Jazzbah in Albuquerque.  What do drummers talk about with you when you're on break between sets?

KL: All sorts of secret drummer stuff...[LAUGHS]...usually what gear I use and why do I set up a particular way, how I get my drums to sound the way they do - questions like that.  Other times, we just shoot the shit.  One of my favorite drummers of all time is a local cat - John Bartlit.  He is a few years older than me, but we were in the UNM Music Department at the same time.  I DIG HIS PLAYING! When he shows up, we always talk about the old days and what not.  It is so nice to get feedback from my peers and friends whom I respect as musicians - a real blessing.

NL: So, you hang out with drummers a lot?

KL: Actually, no.  Not at all, unless I'm in Los Angeles or Nashville.  I mostly hang out with guitarists and bass players - always have, actually.  There's a great young guitarist I've been hanging out with - Claudio Tolousse Perez - really dig his sound.  I'm blessed to have my Sez Who bandmates to hang out with, because they are so damned good at what they do.

NL: You mentioned "gear" earlier.  Tell me more about your gear.

KL: I use different Recording Custom and old-school Maple Custom - I never used the Absolute series - Yamaha kits depending on where I am and what type of gig I'm on.  Lately, I've been mainly using a tiny bop kit for the Jazzbah gigs.  It's a small jazz club, so I tried the newer Yamaha Stage Custom Birch drums for a night because I didn't want to ship my Recording Customs from the east coast for two gigs...and ended up keeping them! After spending a few minutes tuning them, they sounded perfect.

For all of the kits I almost always use the Yamaha 800-series mid-weight hardware.  I haven't needed heavy-duty cymbal stands since the mid-80s when I actually used rack systems and cages - mainly because my physical style and approach has changed over the years.  For the smaller jazz gigs, I sometimes use the student model hardware because it is so light, and I am not a "basher" - meaning I don't hit the plates [cymbals] hard.  I have used a variety of kick drum pedals from DW to AXIS and Yamaha's high-end chain drives, but always go back to a mid-level strap-driven Yamaha.  I love the old-school Yamaha pedals, but if the gig calls for it, I'll use a Yamaha 9500-series double pedal.

For plates, I don't religiously stick to one brand - I've played most of them, and had endorsement agreements with most of them at one time or another - but I don't think there is a "one stop shop" for metallic sounds anymore.  I still love my Zildjian K Darks, but I do use Sabian and Paiste Signatures from time-to-time.  My jazz cymbals of choice right now are Bosphorus Hammers - all of them.  No matter the gig, I am sticking - no pun intended - primarily with larger 15" thin hi-hats.

Bill Miller and Ken Lingad Featured Performance at 29th Folk Alliance International Conference

Over the course of the last few years, many of the artists I manage enlist me to accompany them on-stage, in addition to the business executive duties I perform. It was certainly more of my pleasure than usual, having performed an intimate set with 3-time GRAMMY-winner Bill Miller for the 29th Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City, Missouri last weekend!

It all started when Aengus Finnan, Executive Director of Folk Alliance International (FAI) called me in early October, 2016, to discuss their sponsoring a special performance and panel to feature Bill Miller. This was not a typical request for FAI to make because they offered to partner with 1680Entertainment to sponsor his entire participation (FAI Official Showcase Artists always pay their own expenses: travel, lodging, membership dues, etc.) in the conference events as a "headline" artist.

Bill and I hit the road in my War Pony last Thursday morning, departing from Nashville with a Yeti mug full of hot coffee and an iPod programmed to shuffle. We hit the ground running as soon as we entered the lobby of the Westin, and continued to field press interviews, photo ops, and the like, until late into the evening.

Friday morning started with a pop-up recording session sponsored by Sweetwater Sound. Bill and I recorded a few tracks live, with no dubbing, with some of the tracks featuring his legendary Native Flute playing. I can't wait to release them later...

We had what I have been saying was "THE BEST LUNCH EVER" at Anton's Taproom and Restaurant, so next time you are in Kansas City, Missouri, visit them here. You can see what we enjoyed on 1680PR's Instagram - you won't believe that meat!

Bill and I performed an extended set on Friday evening for a standing-room-only crowd. It was the first larger-scale appearance the legendary talent has fielded since his brush with death last year, and he was DEFINITELY in rare form. One fan later said he "still has goosebumps" because of the all-encompassing beauty that Bill's music evokes...

Our featured appearance on the "Indigenous Gathering" Official Panel was an absolute joy to experience, and concluded our FAI Events schedule. So many brilliant sparks of dialog were jumpstarted - I do hope we will continue them for future generations!

STAY TUNED FOR VIDEO AND PICTURES IN A FUTURE UPDATE...