Chris Fryar
PERFORMS WITH: Zac Brown Band
About the Artist
Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, Chris Fryar is one of the nation’s many rising stars. Known for his stylistic diversity, creativity, musical taste and fearlessness, Chris is a dynamic drummer/clinician considered by many who know him to be the first call for any musical situation.Born in 1970 and raised in a small suburb of Birmingham, Chris’ musical talents became quickly apparent. His mother has been quoted with saying, “He was always tapping out rhythms on something. Pots, pans, Tupperware bowls…anything he could find.” At the age of twelve, Chris joined the junior high school band where he got his first snare drum and drumsticks. One year later and still in junior high, he was asked to join the high school marching band where the director felt his talents were best suited for marching snare. “I still haven’t figured out if I was that good or if everybody else was just that bad,” Chris laughs. He received his first drumset at the age of fourteen. “It was an old Ludwig Vistalite set. I still have it.” Within a month of getting his first kit Chris was asked to do some studio demos for his older brother’s band.
After an award laden high school career Chris went on to study at North Texas State University and the Mississippi University for Women. “I learned so much at NTSU. It was very humbling to say the least, because everybody is such a great player at that place.” While learning about theory and composition by day Chris also got a priceless and very practical musical education at night while playing in many different musical situations learning and executing a plethora of styles from jazz, to rock, soul, blues, R&B, country, reggae, and latin.
Chris’ ability to effortlessly skate in and out of so many styles has earned him the pleasure of sharing the stage and touring/recording with national artists such as Oteil Burbridge, Nancy King, Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Gregg Bissonette, Steve Smith, The Allman Brothers Band, Charles Neville, John Popper, Derek Trucks, David Hood, Ian Moore, Rollin' in the Hay, Downright, Gravy, the Undergrounders, Robert Moore and the Wildcats, the Cast, and countless others. He currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama where he is a full time member of The Zac Brown Band and Oteil and the Peacemakers.
Chris' current setup:
20" Bass Drum
10", 12", 14" & 16" Toms
6.5" x 14" Snare
