Robb Williamson

Some people go through their entire lives without knowing truly who they are or what they want out of life. Not so in the case of Robb Williamson! Robb has known since the ripe old age of almost four that he wanted to be a drummer. Christmas 1971 would forever mark a time that his journey and love affair with music and drums began. The years that followed cultivated a genuine love for music due in a large part to Robb’s mother who was once an aspiring Country/Western singer herself, would play her guitar and sing for her children.
Robb began his formal music training when he was 12 years old in the school band program. His first obstacle was a test given to all rising 7th graders that measured their musical aptitude. Needless to say, the test results did not show that Robb would be able to play and he was actually discouraged by the director but encouraged even more by his mother.
Robb started band and immediately felt a sense of belonging to something bigger than him. He began taking lessons from a private teacher working on rudiments, sight reading and drum set applications. Robb auditioned for the Stage Band at school but was not selected. This was his first real musical rejection but he did not allow that to discourage him. A few months later, a turn of events led to Robb getting the nod and this began a five year run of playing in the Stage Band and Jazz Ensembles.
Throughout high school one could find Robb tucked away in his basement or a friends garage either practicing or hashing out bad renditions of Sweet Home Alabama, Train Train, Smoke on the Water and Free Bird.
After High School, Robb attended Appalachian State University Hayes School of Music and majored in Music Industry Studies with his concentration in Artist Management and Concert Promotions and received a double minor in Management and Marketing while being a Percussion Principle. While there, he also was in the North Carolina Band of Distinction - The Appalachian State University Marching Mountaineers. He was placed on the snare line and marched all four years while attending. Other groups included the Percussion Ensemble, Steel Drum Band, Community Band, and Spring Drum Line as well as many other local Rock bands in the region.
Upon graduation, he moved to Raleigh, NC where he was hired as a booking agent for Showtime Agency, a regional powerhouse entertainment agency, booking local, regional and national acts as well as serving as the agency production manager for all of the national shows. He continued to play on weekends and founded and played for regional act Grandma Dynamite. All good things must come to an end and after many personnel changes, it was time to retire Grandma and move on. He later became the drummer for Jadi Norris Overdrive and was a driving force for this group, not only behind the drums but behind the scenes as well.
Robb later began playing for Christian Rock act PS147 and then later with Regional sensation John Hatchell. Over the years, Robb has established himself as a pocket player taking it to the edge. His playing is best described as powerful and melodic and his personality is laid back! In his spare time, Robb builds custom drum kits, teaches high school drum lines and individuals, plays in his church’s Praise Band as well as teaches in clinics.