Drummer and percussionist Brian Griffin has earned a reputation for his roots-rock feel, his musical versatility and warm vintage sound, touring and recording with classic and new rock and Americana artists like Brandi Carlile, Patti Smith, Lana Del Rey, Richard Marx, Jamie McLean and The Lone Bellow.
A sideman with a deeply collaborative ethic, Brian’s experience as an arranger, co-songwriter, backing vocalist and flexible accompanist has been developed over years of studio work with iconic producers, Trina Shoemaker, John Alagia, Ryan Hadlock, Dave Cobb, Rick Nowels, Bob Brockman, Charlie Peacock, Stewart Lerman and Bryce Goggin. In recent years he has performed and/or recorded with Lana Del Rey, Brandi Carlile, Patti Smith, Rodney Crowell, Alessia Cara, Dionne Warwick, Richard Marx, The Wallflowers, Nikki Lane, Greg Holden, Dolly Parton, Iggy Pop, Sharon Jones, Rumer, Gogol Bordello, David Gray, Ivan Neville, Anders Osborne, John Popper of Blues Traveler and American Idol winner Taylor Hicks.
Brian has played at Bonnaroo, Stagecoach, New Orleans Jazzfest, Austin City Limits, Outside Lands, Newport Folk, Ottawa Blues, Quebec Summer and Voodoo festivals. His versatile session work includes credits with production houses Pulse Music, JSM, Sacred Noise, Copilot Music, and Samuel Justice Sound Design.
Brian brings a serious background in jazz (studies with Robert Jospe, John Riley, Bob Moses, John D’earth) and Brazilian percussion (studies with Junior Teixeira, Bernardo Aguiar, Zeca Macapart, Nelson Pestana, Quiño Santos, Durval Pereira), and an encyclopedic knowledge of rock, soul and funk (studies with Shawn Pelton, Jim Payne, James Gadson, Matt Johnson).