Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Rayner.
Hi Chris, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in St.Pete Beach, Florida. I’ve always been surrounded by art. My mother owned a frame shop and an art gallery. She raised me on all kinds of music. Just about everything, really. I moved to central Florida as a teenager where I started playing in bands around the age of 15. I remember a friend handing me a CD and saying “My buddy said if you can learn any of these songs, he can play them”. So that’s when I started teaching myself how to play drums. I’d listen to a song and play until I failed, started over and I’d repeat the same process until I got the whole song down. I played in several different projects out of high school. Everything from Rock, Pop, Metal, to Indie rock. Lived in a doublewide with my band mates for about 5 years trying to make it. We did a lot of cool things but didn’t really make it out of florida. That project eventually broke up. I ended up moving to Winston Salem, NC with my now wife. I continued to play drums but the music scene where i lived wasn’t thriving. I kept at it though and uploaded the occasional drum cover to Youtube. We stayed in NC for about 5 years. I wouldn’t say I gave up on my dream but I definitely felt a big chance of me ever doing it was gone. My wife and I took a 48 hour trip to Nashville to visit some friends for a Hockey game and just in that short time we fell in love with this city. We went back to NC, put our home on the market and moved here in less than 5 months. I didn’t have anything lined up but I made my way around the town networking and sitting in open jams. I’d play a gig here and there, meet a few musicians and that’d later turn into another gig maybe a year down the road. I’ve been here for about 5 years now and i’m doing music just about full time now. I play drums for Lanie Gardner and sometimes here and there I play for other artists as well. I record remote drum sessions from my home studio and on the side I run a clothing brand and podcast called “Headsick”. It’s literally insane to see where I am today and never thought I’d have a second chance at this. It just goes to show you can always start over again.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I came from humble beginnings. I was raised by a single mom. We struggled a lot. My father struggled with addiction and passed from overdose when I was 15. Fortunately I had the best support system I could ever ask for. My mom was my biggest fan and always told me I could do anything. With what little we had she got me my first drum set and always helped me succeed. She came to every show she could when I was younger. Sadly she developed dementia before she could see the biggest part of all of it. I’m extremely lucky to have my wife who supports me through it all. Without her this wouldn’t have been possible.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a drummer based in Nashville. I drum for Lanie Gardner and when I’m not on the road I’m recording remote sessions from my home studio. I also have a Clothing Brand and Podcast called “Headsick”. The Clothing Brand itself is based around alternative skate culture while the Podcast is a mobile interview style where I talk with the backbone of the music industry and other creatives. I’ve lived in Nashville for almost 5 years and have played for several artists from many different genres. I love music and art and it’s a huge part of me. I’m very proud of how far I’ve come and the relationships I’ve built in the industry. I think what sets me apart from some is, music isn’t just something I wanna do. It’s such a massive piece of my soul. You have to truly want this for the right reasons to make it special and it means the world to me.
What matters most to you?
My circle. My family. My Wife and our animals. I have a lot of really great people in my life and i’ve always tried to surround my self with super amazing people and I think that’s a big thing to live by. Surround yourself with love and support and give it back and that’s the best company you can have.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Headsick.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisraynerdrums
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisThatOneGuy
- Other: https://instagram.com/headsickco
