by Diana Crandall
Matt Billingslea is walking to the beat of his own drum, paving his own way for continued success, and inspiring Capital’s aspiring musicians.
Since his graduation in 2001, Matt has performed as a drummer at astounding venues, such as the Grammy Awards, the Billboard Music Awards, and the BRIT Awards.
He has toured with incredibly talented musicians and bands, including Gary Allan, Lady Antebellum, and currently Taylor Swift on her international ‘Red’ tour.
Before Matt burned up the stage, he was a double major in Jazz Studies and Music Industry at Capital.
“I’ve only been back to Capital once since I graduated, and that visit was brief,” Billingslea said. “I remember a lot of brick walkways and being jealous of the Capital Center – the gym was not there when I was.”
When he came to Capital, Billingslea said he was still hanging onto the “rockstar” dream from high school.
“The plan was to find a few buddies, make music, and take over the world,” Billingslea said.
“I was exposed to other opportunities in education, merchandise, and production while at school, but ultimately felt the need to prove myself as a player first.”
Ditching the “band-with-buddies” mantra, Billingslea wanted to see if he could “make it” as a musician.
“My wife and I moved to Nashville to find out.”
Making the move proved to be a good choice for the Billingslea – particularly when a call came for him in spring of 2008.
Lady Antebellum was on the other end of the receiver. A little more than a year after Billingslea began to work with the group, their singles “I Run to You” and “Need You Now” rocketed to number one on the charts.
Though incredibly busy now – he should be somewhere in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia, at the moment – he still took the time to offer some advice to aspiring musicians and conservatory students.
“For everyone – be professional, be over-prepared, be humble, and network. And by ‘network,’ I mean make friends and build relationships. Every gig I’ve ever had has come from past relationships.
“For musicians – play with click as much as possible. (Yes, singers, guitar players, trumpet players, etc. You too!) If you don’t know what ‘click’ is, ask a drummer,” Billingslea said.
Finally, he encourages students to move to where the industry is.
“Move to the work. The music biz is based in Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York. You face an even longer road trying to ‘make it’ from anywhere else.”
dcrandal@capital.edu
