Welcome Billy Joe Freeman! Billy is the touring drummer and music director for country artist Dustin Lynch. A Garland, Texas native, Billy began his professional career at just 12 years old, playing in Texas’ longest-running Opry House. In 2012, he landed a spot at the Guitar Center Drum Off grand finals, leading to a tour with country legend Neil McCoy. Billy moved to Nashville in 2013, and has been with Dustin Lynch ever since. In this candid conversation, Billy discusses professionalism on and off stage, how to best serve the song and the artist, the value of expanding your setup, the ‘gig triangle’ – when to say yes or no to a gig, how to balance home recording with live performance, and the ever-changing Nashville music scene. Billy also shares some fascinating stories and insights from his career, including his encounter with Virgil Donati at PASIC. We hope you enjoy!

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:15 Welcome, Billy!
6:31 Is Nashville Still a 10-Year Town?
18:49 The Evolution of Touring
24:23 Growing Up in the Texas Opry Scene
34:28 Rezo Custom Drum Heads (Sponsor)
36:38 Expanding the Kit, Industry Trends
47:42 The Role of Electronics in Live Shows
51:05 Drum Box (Sponsor)
51:57 Becoming MD for Dustin Lynch
56:43 Value of Taking Broadway Gigs
1:00:57 Social Media’s Impact on Musicians
1:01:22 Early Career and Influences
1:23:23 The Dallas Music Scene and Snarky Puppy
1:33:14 Home Recording
1:37:44 Balancing Family and Music
1:43:46 Low Boy Beaters (Sponsor)
1:51:18 Drum Supply (Sponsor)
1:52:18 Career Highlights and GC Drum-Off
1:58:04 Music City Audiology (Sponsor)
1:58:47 Career Outlook
2:06:08 Bacon, BBQ, & Coffee
2:14:00 Outro

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

Rezo Custom Drum Heads
https://rezoheads.com

Drum Box
https://drumbox.space

Drum Supply
https://www.drumsupply.com

Low Boy Beaters
https://lowboybeaters.com
Music City Audiology
http://musiccityaudiology.com


Connect with Billy:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billyjoefreeman

Music Featured in this Episode:
“Red Alert” – Billy Freeman, Doug Bossi, David Garfield, John Pena

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Recorded at Garden Groove Recording Space, Nashville, TN
Podcast Artwork: GENUINE CREATIVE ART

ⓒ 2026 Nashville Drummers Podcast, LLC