NASHVILLE BASED DRUMMER
Welcome. If I haven’t the privilege to meet you yet, I’m Josiah Thompson - a passionate and accomplished young drummer/percussionist based in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. Music has been my calling since childhood, and my journey has been nothing short of incredible.
I grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, where I taught myself nearly everything I know about music. My early years were spent serving in churches—places like Rivertree, Church of the Highlands, and Cross Point Nashville—where I developed my skills, built my network, and discovered the magic of live performance.
Despite my youth, I’ve had the privilege of playing at prestigious and iconic venues such as the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, the BJCC, the Fisher Center, the Opry Plaza, 40 Watt, and the Masquerade. But it doesn’t stop there—beyond live gigs, I’m also a session musician available for hire. I’ve recorded with many many artists, studios, and producers back home in Alabama, and here in Nashville. To further this service to other even more, I’m now offering remote drum tracking for projects anywhere, anytime.
My story truly kicked off during high school summers, playing FUGE camps, and in winters, diving into jazz and blues trios. These experiences culminated in one of my proudest achievements—being named the Gold Band drummer for the Alabama All-State Jazz Band in January 2023. That honor allowed me to collaborate with jazz legends and educators from Jazz at Lincoln Center. While I was thrilled to be accepted into Berklee College of Music, my heart led me to Belmont University, bringing me to this vibrant, music-filled city of Nashville.
Fast forward to today, and I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunities I’ve had. Over the past few months, I’ve played/play for talented Nashville artists like Chris Moreno, HALIE, Cole Spain, Meredith Aguirre, Conall Cafferty, Ethan Garner, and The Worship Initiative. Currently, I’m thrilled to be primarily playing and traveling with rising country artist, Anslee Davidson
Musician References
Joshua Price // Sarasota Baptist Worship Pastor // Independent Musician
“I can’t speak highly enough about Josiah. Yes, he’s an incredibly gifted musician, but more importantly, he has a love for Jesus that is palpable. You get a lot more than a killer drummer with Josiah. You get someone who puts in the work and loves people well. I’ve used Josiah for large camps like FUGE as well as smaller services and events. He’s given the same amount of preparation and passion for each one. I’m thankful for Josiah and I know you will be too!”
"It has been my pleasure instructing a young man who continues to listen and improve daily. Josiah is very driven and motivated to improve his musical skills. After every lesson, his words are, “I will continue to work on it Mr. Watson!” In a time where young people want instant results, hard work sometimes lacks. Watching Josiah grow as a young man while working hard to maintain an increasingly busy schedule with his studies has been a joy. He is not motivated by money and continues to grow his career by surrounding himself with people with the same mindset. I have taught lots of students through the years! Josiah has what it takes to have a long-lasting music career. Young men like this just need people to believe and invest in them."
Derico Waston // Drummer for Victor Wooten
"Josiah’s work ethic has shown every day in class. He works hard at any piece of music I throw at him and does not accept anything less than perfection. Even when exhausted from the long rehearsals he pushes through. An example of this is how he stays after school hours to practice different instruments than his primary instrument simply because he wants to better his musical knowledge and music education. Not only does he show a strong work ethic, but he also is extremely reliable. I often ask Josiah to come in for extra things such as helping me teach, cleaning instruments, etc. He never fails to show even when it very early in the morning. If I ask Josiah to do something he will do it with no question. Along with this he is also extremely flexible and can adapt to any task. When asked to cover different percussion parts he can adapt right away. This also shows because he can play very well, and can teach the material just as well. He takes the burden and stress of assigning parts and handling anything percussion that I need. Josiah is an outstanding leader and shows exceptional work in his academics. He has received some of the most prestigious awards given to high school musicians in the state of Alabama. He auditioned for and received first chair set player for Alabama All-State Jazz meaning he is currently the top jazz drum set player in the state on the high school level. He was also accepted into one of the most prestigious music schools in the country, Berklee, North Texas, and Belmont University. Josiah is only at the beginning of his musical career and will definitely be playing on the big stage one day. "
Colten Strait // M.A. Music Education // Madison Country High
"Playing with Josiah is always a treat. Not only is he a great musician, he is also a wonderful guy to be around. He is truly dedicated to his craft as a drummer/percussionist and always gives 110% to every set. He does a great job of listening and blending with other musicians on stage, always finding a way to sit well in the mix. Continually, he strikes the perfect balance of staying true to a recording while still finding ways to add his own flare. Josiah is capable of playing a variety of music styles and genres, and he continues to be my first choice for any musical performance setting. Would recommend his talents to anyone in need of a drummer."
Peyton Fite // Independent Musician
“Josiah is an incredible young man. He serves on our worship team with such a humble heart. He always comes prepared with ideas to make everything better, and he is a hard worker that is willing to do whatever it takes to be successful. His presence is such a joy to be around and I am so proud of the man he is becoming. I love anytime I get to play music with Josiah as he always goes above and beyond to create moments in songs that add so much value. He knows dynamics really well and can translate what you want added to a song and even more!”
Colt Buttram // Church of the Highlands
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