Chris Wilkes
About
"Born and raised in North Carolina, Chris Wilkes’ first instrument was the trumpet in 3rd grade. During the holidays of 93', he was introduced to the drums. “My brother got a kit for Christmas. When he wasn’t around, I would sneak into his room and try to emulate what I heard him practicing. Eventually, he handed the kit over to me after realizing drums were not for him. Needless to say I was ecstatic with that decision!” During his high school years he kept busy with bands around the Raleigh, NC scene. By his senior year he was becoming known on the local level as a solid drummer with great feel and execution. For the next five years Chris performed and recorded as much as possible. In 2003 he was ready for broader musical opportunities so he packed up his life and moved to Atlanta, GA. In 2004 Chris enrolled in the Atlanta Institute of Music to further his studies of the drums. He is fortunate to have studied with some of the best and most accomplished instructors in the southeast ( Tom Knight - TLC, Creig Harbor - The Temptations, Jack Jones - Col. Bruce Hampton ). He graduated with honors in 2006 and excelled in his profession as a freelance musician & music educator. In Atlanta he taught 40+ students a week, played in several Atlanta bands (Bain Mattox, Golden, Sam Thacker) and was the first-call for several recording studios working with recording engineer greats such as Russ Fowler (Rage Against the Machine, STP) and John Keane (R.E.M., Widespread Panic). While touring he had the opportunity to perform alongside Zac Brown Band, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sister Hazel, Marc Broussard, & David Ryan Harris. Atlanta was a solid chapter for Chris. After all, it's where he ended up meeting his wife (Julie) and forging a career in music.
In August of 2011 Chris, Julie, and their dog Lulu moved to beautiful Portland, Maine seeking a new kind of work-life balance. Since his arrival he's performed and/or recorded with local Portland artists Isobell, Greg Klein, Shanna Underwood, Owen Conforte, Tess Collins, and The Strangely Possibles. In 2015 he and cellist Devon Colella formed the original project known as QUAD. The duo released their debut album "Transmutation" in 2018 and will record the follow-up in 2020. He was a member of The Bob Charest Band and now performs with a ten piece function band known as Plush. In January 2018 Chris tracked drums for Warner Bros. artist Crystal Fighter's. The song is titled "Reborn" and is on their latest release "Gaia & Friends."
These days Chris is grateful to perform, record, and teach music on the regular. In addition he runs a videography/photography/graphic design business called Wilkes Media. "
"Throughout my twenty-six years of playing music, I've had the pleasure of taking drum lessons in a variety of different environments. There have been private lessons, group lessons, and every time I take the stage it feels like "class is in session." After all these years, I'm still inspired to create and improve my playing ability on a daily basis. You can never run out of material to work on. The art of mastering an instrument is a lifetime pursuit, and that's very appealing to me. With my drum lessons I try to instill this knowledge from day one so my students can possess the right attitude for learning. In an age where instant gratification can rule the day; I want to remind students that to become accomplished at anything you will need to have focus, discipline, and be patient with the process. Yes, I even try to convey this to my youngest students. It's never too early to start molding a mind. "
Graduated from The Atlanta Institute of Music in October 2006 - Received Certificate of Musicianship - Program of study included reading, technique, theory, jazz styles, latin styles, funk styles, programming, charting, studio, music business, recording, odd meter, and rhythm dictation.
My lessons are focused on styles, creative application, rudimental studies, learning songs, reading, technique, troubleshooting complex issues, getting the student gig ready. I work out of a variety of drum instruction books. Some of my consistent go-to books are The New Breed, Stick Control, Syncopation, Art of Bop Drumming, Groove Essentials 1 & 2.0, & Mini-Monster Book of Rock Drumming