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.

Photos: Michael Weintraub

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.

Interview with Ken Lingad about his Drum Gear

WOW! Came across this old interview. My selection of gear has changed a little — not too much — and some things probably never will. See here for current list of gear.

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.

Ken Lingad on stage at Jazzbah

Ken Lingad’s Drum Kit (Full setup, minus electronics and mic drops) Stage Plot

The Roosevelts to be Featured on Hit TV Series NASHVILLE - Again

My personal management clients, The Roosevelts, will be prominently featured on the hit TV series, NASHVILLE – again.

While avoiding any spoilers for fans of the show, I can say that The Roosevelts will be featured in connection with the series lead character, Rayna Jaymes, in a featured spot. This marks the second time in one year the TV series’ brass tapped the band’s well of talent, and we are all quite proud that both ABC Television and CMT (the new home for the series) have taken serious notice of The Roosevelts’ unique musical voice.

You can see The Roosevelts on the season premiere of NASHVILLE on January 5th, 2017, on CMT.

Recognition and demand of The Roosevelts’ sound across the US was significantly boosted during 2016 with placements in two pop culture broadcast juggernauts. Featured on the band’s first full-length album, The Greatest Thing You’ll Ever Learn, tracks “This Is Life” (featured on ABC TV’s hit series NASHVILLE) and “Ashes” (recently featured on Netflix hit series The Ranch) are among the most popular singles found via the Shazam music locator mobile app, and streaming services such as Pandora.

See The Roosevelts Latest Video Single

See the latest video single release, Belly of the Beast, by my personal management clients, The Roosevelts! Make sure to turn this up LOUD!

Signed Hardback Editions of Bestselling Book Contemporary Native American Artists Available Now

Get your signed copy of the landmark book about Ken Lingad's Artist Management success, Contemporary Native American Artists (Gibbs Smith Publishing), in the Books and Records Store today!

Now in its 3rd printing, the bestselling book takes readers into Ken Lingad's world of high-end fine art dealing, while profiling a select roster of the most famous Native American fine artists under his specific direction and guidance: Jody Naranjo, Kevin Red Star, Malcolm Furlow, Rhett Lynch, Fritz Casuse, Upton Ethelbah, Jr., Jhane Myers, and more.

Don Henley Talks New Album Release, Cites The Dillards As Major Influence

Music luminary, Don Henley, has been fielding tons of print, radio, and television interviews to promote his latest release, Cass County, and I am honored and proud to report he's also one hell of a super fan of the super group I manage and produce: The Dillards.

While noting his intention to explore his musical roots and inspiration with the new album's works - which also features many other artists who were directly influenced by The Dillards: Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Dixie Chicks, et al - Henley continues to highly regard Rodney Dillard and The Dillards, citing the legendary bluegrass group as a major influence in his musical direction, and also that of his mothership band, The Eagles.

...the Dillards did it first. That first album — the Dillards’ album called Wheatstraw Suite, which came out in 1968 — was as a very influential album in my life … as was Jesse Winchester’s first album. I was a big fan of the Dillards. In fact, I drove through a snowstorm to hear them play in Fort Worth back in 1968. … I just thought it was the most interesting song and they were an interesting band.

Read the latest interview with CMT here.