Dan Needham

Dan Needham's Biography

Dan Needham was born and raised in up state New York in the town of Newark Valley just north of Binghamton. Both parents being musicians, he grew up in and around music and musicians. His father, a drummer, influenced Dan to pursue the drums at an early age. By age eleven, he had started to play professionally for society gigs and local bands. Throughout elementary, junior high, and high school, Dan studied with private drum instructors and developed a wide array of styles and techniques. During his high school years Dan won many honors including flawless scores in many state competitions, All-state recognition, and finally appointment to the McDonald's All-American Band as quad section leader, as well as alternate positioning in the All-American Jazz Band.

Dan moved to Minneapolis after graduation and attended college for several years. Then in 1991, moved to Nashville to pursue music while finishing up his degree at Belmont University. While in Nashville, Dan was able to experience many areas of music including playing for a Brazilian Samba Band, eclectic jazz groups, country artists, R&B artists, alternative bands, rock artists, and pop artists.

Today, Dan is recognized in Nashville as a top up and coming session and live drummer. At age twenty-six, he had already amassed an impressive line of credits including; Michael McDonald, Vanessa Williams, Amy Grant, K T Oslin, as well as many gospel artists like Charlie Peacock, Petra, Carman, Michael W. Smith, Rebecca St. James, and Point of Grace just to name a few.

Besides being in the studio, Dan has appeared on several nationally syndicated television shows including Regis & Kathy-Lee and the Pat Boone Show.

Dan's main focus is, however, a band he was a part of for about a year called One World Movement. It is an all-star band comprised of producer/bassist Tommy Sims (Michael Bolton, Michael McDonald, Bruce Springsteen, wrote Eric Clapton hit Change the World), guitarist/vocalist Chris Rodrigues (Amy Grant, Shania Twain, Kenny Loggins, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire), and keyboardist Marc Harris (Be Be Winans, Whitney Houston, Trey Lorenze). It is a pop/R&B band that has a very bright and promising future in pop radio.

Dan Needham

Gear List

Maple CustomWSD-13AJ 13"x7"MBD-1322 22"x18"MTT-1308 8"x8"MTT-1310 10"x9"MTT-1312 12"x10"MTT-1316 16"x14"MSD-0316 14"x6.5"