Meet Dango Cellan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dango Cellan.

Hi Dango, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My name is Dango and I’m a full-time musician here in Nashville. For the past twenty years, I have been touring nationally and internationally as a professional drummer for various bands and artists. For the past seven years, I have been the drummer for Grammy-winning artist Scott Stapp, the voice of Creed. I’m also a member of the long-time worship band Sonicflood, as well as an original member of the Warped Tour Punk band Amber Pacific. I have also been touring with new rock artist Kurt Diemer this past year, featuring Phil X from Bon Jovi. I have also had the chance to fill in with several country artists this past year including Mark Wills, William Michael Morgan, Dillon Carmichael, and Southerland. When I’m off the road I am teaching lessons privately from my studio, as well as record remote drum tracks for clients all around the world. I bought a house in Hermitage in early 2020, right before the pandemic, and had a studio built right away. Since then I have been super thankful to be teaching or tracking from home, most of the time that I’m not on tour.

I moved to Nashville in 1999 to attend Belmont University, where I got my bachelor’s degree in Music Performance, studying under the legendary Chester Thompson. Right after college, I moved to Seattle for the next eight years to play drums in the punk band, Amber Pacific. We spent four summers on the Vans Warped Tour and had songs on tv shows, movie soundtracks, video games, Monday Night Football, and four music videos on MTV. We released four full-length albums on two different labels and sold over 200k records worldwide. In 2012 I moved back to Nashville to pursue the hired gun route of drumming as well as more studio work. Since then I have toured with or performed with rock, country, worship, and CCM artists including; RED, Fireflight, Superchick, Manafest, All Time Low, Chris Rice, Craig Campbell, Swon Brothers, Josh Gracin, Deana Carter, Tucker Beathard and many others.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always challenges in self-employed life. Any musician in Nashville knows that winter can be tough when touring and even Broadway work can slow down for the holidays. I find the same challenge with my private drum lessons and even sessions. People are much less likely to spend money around Christmas and New years. I have finally gotten to a place where I can save up during the busier seasons and be ready for winter. I have also battled a lot of health issues in my life from heart disease and surgery to multiple surgeries on my nose for a breathing disease, to the biggest issue being a bone disease in my right knee. I have had 6 surgeries on this knee which is my main bass drum leg. In high school I had a transplant of a cadaver put in, but four years ago I had a total replacement as well. I battle a lot of pain and inflammation from so much overuse while drumming, but thankfully I can still use my leg.

I’m currently in physical therapy for a tear in my shoulder from overuse this past year. With the touring season slowing down, I am making every effort to rest my body as well as rehab the shoulder. I am definitely a workaholic and struggle to find balance.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am super thankful to make a living playing and teaching drums. I have spent 20 years since finishing college, building this up to an actual career. By the grace of God, I am able to truly pay my bills, own a house, and keep going. I tour full-time, teach lessons and run a studio when I’m home. And I also play downtown in the Broadway scene when I’m able to. Juggling these four things has allowed me to really make a self-employed career out of music. I strive to be as versatile as I can be in playing and teaching. I am most known as a rock drummer, but my resume and list of credits recording show that I have done a lot of country, worship, and Americana as well. I really love striving to grow as a musician all the time and continue learning my craft.

I’m super thankful to work with and be supported by great companies that I grew up dreaming of being a part of. I endorse DW Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Promark Sticks, LP Percussion, Se Electronics Mics, and Humes & Berg Cases. I represent all these companies on tour, in the studio, and doing clinics.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
Nashville has been one of the biggest blessings in my career. It really is who you know and timing when it comes to musical jobs. But if you live in Nebraska or Wyoming or far out, it’s much harder to find the work. I always tell aspiring musicians that you have to be willing to sacrifice and make the move. For me, it was LA or Nashville after I was leaving Seattle and Nashville had already been a home for me so it was a no-brainer. But also being available when someone calls are important. Most of my gigs have come from referrals who already knew me and could vouch for me. I landed the gig with Stapp because I had done a country gig with the bass player six months before.

And Scott didn’t actually hear me play first but knew I had played for RED previously which he was a fan of. Most of my country gigs have come along the same way. One gig always leads to another as you build your network of musicians and artists.

I don’t believe in luck, but I do believe you can set yourself up for success by being in the right place, meeting and working with as many people as you can, and by being yourself. My drumming isn’t amazing but I’m always trying to improve. I’m not going to be a perfect fit for every gig, but I strive to be encouraging and positive wherever I am, and hopefully, musicians and artists will call me back or refer me when they have a chance.

Pricing:

• Drum Tracks – $150 a song
• Drum Lessons – $40 half hour
• Drum Sample Library – $30 for 30 snares

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com@DangoEmpire
• Facebook: Facebook.com@DangoEmpire

Image Credits
David Gannon, Elijah Fleming, Andy Daley, Renan Facciolo, Mark Allee, and Thomas Edward