For the feature interview, the guys sit down with Tom Slagle, saxophonist and keyboardist for Thumpdaddy, Rock The Boat, Back In Time, and Heartless. Tom reflects on his musical roots, including his father Ed Slagle, a WWII veteran and Polka Hall of Fame inductee. He shares stories of his journey through various projects, his love for performing, and how he taught himself music theory the old-fashioned way — by reading books from the library.

In this episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, hosts Derrick and Jeff kick things off by paying tribute to the legendary Ace Frehley of KISS and sharing highlights from their time at Fall Fest during the Starship featuring Mickey Thomas concert. For the feature interview, the guys welcome their friend Ken Houston, one half of the acoustic duo Ken & Darrin and lead singer of No Hit Wonders. Ken opens up about his lifelong love for Cheap Trick and music as a whole, the origin story of No Hit Wonders, how the band came to a halt during COVID, and its exciting relaunch planned for 2026. He also shares some memorable tales from the historic Memphis venue Stage Stop and its beloved owner, Nita Makris.

In this episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, hosts Derrick and Jeff sit down with Alex Pruitt, drummer for the band Formerly Known As. Alex shares how his musical journey began playing drums alongside his brother in church, which led to his time touring nationally and spending four years at Stax Music Academy. He also discusses how he connected with Shawn Few, leading to his spot in Formerly Known As, and dives into his favorite drum brands, influences, and the lessons learned along the way.

In this episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, hosts Derrick and Jeff welcome guitarist and vocalist Steve Taylor to the studio for an in-depth conversation about his musical journey. Steve, known for his work with Generation-X and Back In Time: The Music of Huey Lewis and the News, shares stories from his early days to his time performing with bands like Chasing Angels, Rants, and Night Call with Stephen Haynes. The trio dives into Steve’s Memphis connection, his unexpected career as a Nuclear Pharmacist, his musical beginnings, and the artists who helped shape his sound.

On this episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, hosts Derrick and Jeff kick things off with a big shoutout to Matt Montgomery and Supernova Music, a local shop dedicated to supporting musicians through consignment, repairs, setups, and custom effects. They encourage listeners to support Matt and his team at 8785 Chaffee Road, Arlington, TN, United States, Tennessee - supernovamusicmemphis.com .

For the feature segment, Derrick and Jeff sit down with Corey Riggs, lead singer of the premier Memphis hard rock band The Boneyard. Corey shares stories from his early days in Tokyo Rose, including an unforgettable audition with Allan Bone, and opens up about his personal testimony and spiritual journey during time away from the stage. He talks about returning to live gigs, dives into setlists and band dynamics, and even joins Jeff in some Star Wars lightsaber nerdom. It’s a fun, insightful, and rock-filled conversation you won’t want to miss.

On this exciting episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, hosts Derrick and Jeff kick things off with Stephanie Wilson-Nichols to promote Fall Fest Memphis Presents: Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas — live in concert on Saturday, October 18th at the Catholic Church of the Incarnation in Collierville, TN. Then, the guys sit down for a fun-filled interview with the legendary Mickey Thomas himself. From his Memphis connections in 1973, to being the unforgettable voice behind Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” to joining Starship in 1979 and leading the ultimate revival in 1992 as Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas, Mickey shares stories, influences, and plenty of laughs. Huge thanks to Stephanie for making this connection possible and to Mickey for bringing his energy and time to the show!

On the season finale of The Rhythm Section Podcast, we take a heartfelt moment to reflect on an incredible season and celebrate a major milestone—100 episodes! We shine a light on the amazing guests and sponsors who helped shape this season, and most importantly, thank the listeners for their unwavering support.

This episode is all about the community that made it possible. We share listener engagement highlights and impressive show stats, from downloads and views to shares, likes, and tags. It’s a wrap on this chapter, but The Rhythm Section will return with even more great interviews this September.

Thank YOU ALL for an incredible season!

Derrick and Jeff celebrate a major milestone—100 episodes of The Rhythm Section Podcast! Filmed live at Rooster’s Blues House Highland in Memphis, this special event brings together an all-star lineup of guests and friends from the Memphis music and podcasting scenes. From hilarious stories to heartfelt moments, special guests like Tim Dills, Steve Owens, Paul Moreau, Kenny Francis, Sebastian Hinds, Jason Moore, Jacob Turner, Zach, and Jillian for representing Land/Divided, Chris Craig, Nina Makris, Ric Chetter, Monica O'Donniley-Summerfield, La-Shon Robinson, Derrin Lee, Shawn Few and Jimmy Fulp join the celebration. With music, memories, and laughter filling the room, this episode is a true testament to the community that’s grown around the show.

In this episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, hosts Derrick and Jeff kick things off by recapping a night out at Neil’s Music Room enjoying a killer set by The Boneyard. Then they welcome special guest Bobby Ireland, drummer for Hairspray Nation, for a deep dive into his musical journey. Bobby shares how he landed the gig with Hairspray Nation and how it’s become a family affair with his son Nick on guitar. He also revisits his early days playing with childhood friends Todd Poole and Ronnie Spain, their shared obsession with KISS, and starting their first band together.

Bobby gives heartfelt insight into his late father Rick Ireland’s legacy in the Memphis music scene and his time at Ardent Studios. From funny first audition stories to almost landing a record deal with his original band “Ireland,” Bobby’s journey is rich with history. He also shares how a job at Apple unexpectedly pulled him back into music, and the amazing rise of his son Matt’s teenage band, Under The Radar. A full-circle story you won’t want to miss.

On this episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, hosts Derrick and Jeff kick things off with a quick chat with Eric Graham from Deadfall Road to promote their epic July 4th Reunion show, Concert Under The Trees, in Arlington, TN—featuring Your Mom’s New Boyfriend at 4:30pm and Deadfall Road headlining at 8pm. Plus, they’re celebrating the digital release of Come What May! (More at deadfallroad.band)

The main interview dives deep with special guest Ronnie Knight, drummer for Rock The Boat, as he shares his musical journey—from early influences and high school gigs to wild Stage Stop memories and near-label deals with Roxy Blue. Ronnie takes us through his history with bands like Tempest, 901, Triple X, M Slider, and Xavion. A must-listen for Memphis music lovers and drumming fans alike.

In this celebratory episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, hosts Derrick and Jeff kick things off with a heartfelt recap of their epic Episode 100 live taping at Rooster’s on June 7th. They show love to the incredible fans, venue staff, and all the special guests who helped make it a night to remember.

Then, the spotlight shifts to a lively feature interview with Brent Dennis, lead vocalist of the high-energy party band Music BoXx. Brent shares the band’s origin story, talks about his fellow bandmates, reflects on his time in the Navy, and opens up about his journey from singing with Lee Ann’s Alarm Clock to fronting Music BoXx. From vocal influences to hilarious concert memories (including a Poison show mishap), Brent also breaks down how the band picks the right songs to keep crowds dancing.

In this episode, Derrick is joined by guest co-host Steve Owens, who fills in for Jeff and recaps Rooster’s Original Night from Sunday, May 25th. Steve also shines a light on Take 12, a fresh band making waves in the Memphis scene.

The featured interview is with Preston Jones, lead vocalist for Your Mom’s New Boyfriend. Preston shares the story of how the band came together, current and former members, and his own trial-by-fire debut on stage. From his musical inspirations to his journey into live performance, Preston brings energy, heart, and a whole lot of rock to the show.

In this heartfelt and high-energy episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, Derrick and Jeff kick things off with another tribute to their friend Thomas Halfacre and his upcoming cancer benefit concert. They share all the details about the event at Rooster's Blues House Highland on Sunday, June 1st—featuring bands like Almost Famous, Black 59, Play Rough, and The Pinch, with special guests John Roth, Jeff Adams, Kevin & Bethany Paige, Paul Moreau, Vanessa Sudbury, Shara Matlock, Steve Rhodehamel, Ken Houston, Ronnie Knight, Seth Kuykendall, Patrick O’Daniel, David Haynes and Tom Slagle. They also dive into how #ILoveThomasThursday and a wildfire group text helped Thomas go viral in the best way.

In the feature interview, the guys are joined by Joel Rustenhaven and T-Bone Hood of The Rustenhaven Band. They share hilarious stories about the band’s original name drama, how they got started as musicians, their wide-ranging influences, and what it’s like performing in the casino circuit with bandmates Eric Westpy and JJ Barnett. From heartfelt to hilarious, this one hits all the right notes.

Then, they dive into an inspiring conversation with CharMaine TyRelle, the powerhouse vocalist behind CT & The Vibe Tribe. CharMaine shares his journey from three decades of singing in church to performing with Demi Lovato at President Joe Biden’s Inauguration, and his role in the Elevation Memphis Tina Turner Tribute Experience. They discuss navigating constructive criticism, his recent Minister of Music of the Year nomination, and his exciting new EP Loverboy Energy—dropping July 1st. Be sure to check out the lead single “Get Down”, streaming now on all platforms.

In this episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, Derrick and Jeff kick things off by spotlighting Watchman, the latest album by Memphis music legend Tommy Cathey—now streaming on all major platforms. Visit http://watchmanmemphis.com for more details.

The featured guest is Chris Hinkle, guitarist for Midnite Train, Play Some Skynyrd and The Bone Yard. Chris shares powerful memories of his time with the late Wayne Swinny, tells behind-the-scenes stories from the legendary Stage Stop, and opens up about his earliest gigs and musical influences. It’s a heartfelt and nostalgic ride through Memphis music history.

Bassist David Gregory joins the show! Known for his bass guitar work with 901 ROX and formerly Midnite Train, David dives into his musical journey, from his first concerts to his days as a young metalhead. He and Derrick go deep on bass guitars, gear, and the groove that holds it all together.

For the feature interview, Derrick and Jeff sit down with seasoned bassist and audio pro David Griffin. From running sound at top-tier casinos like Gold Strike and Ameristar to laying down the low end for bands like The Shakers, The Bouffants, and The Southern Edition Band, David shares stories from both sides of the stage. He opens up about his long-standing music career, favorite gear, and what it takes to thrive in the world of live performance and production.

In this episode of The Rhythm Section Podcast, Derrick and Jeff kick things off with special guests Jimmy Fulp and Paul Moreau to recap the unforgettable KISSTORY tribute show at Lafayette’s Music Room. From killer performances to jaw-dropping stage production, they share highlights and give props to Thomas Halfacre and his phenomenal crew, along with all the talented musicians who made the night one to remember.

Later, the spotlight turns to CJ and Kyla Williams of Saturday Sunset. They share how they met, the story behind their band, musical influences, and the creative journey that’s brought them to where they are today—including other exciting projects on the horizon.

In this lively intro to The Rhythm Section Podcast, Derrick and Jeff recap a night to remember—Jeff and Steve Owen’s birthday bash at Neil’s Music Room on Friday, April 11th. With Generation-X bringing the house down (and one unforgettable version of Iris), the guys share laughs, memories, and a hilarious moment from the performance that’s not to be missed. Plus, they introduce a brand-new character to the show: the sweet, sassy, and slightly over-the-top Lil’ Sweet.

For the feature interview, hosts Derrick and Jeff sit down with the one and only Johnny “Hellraiser” Lamb—drummer for Aquanet, Chasing Angels, and StoneRowe. Johnny shares how he first linked up with the popular '80s tribute band Aquanet, dives into the story behind his powerful new project Chasing Angels, and reflects on his emotional performance at Pete Mendillo’s Celebration of Life.

They also take a trip down memory lane with stories from Johnny’s early days in Dover Crossing, his decades-long career in the U.S. Air Force, and his longtime friendship with the legendary Mad Drummer. From hair metal to heartfelt moments, this episode hits all the right beats.

To kick things off, hosts Derrick and Jeff sit down with Steve Owens from The Musicians Booking Agency to talk about the upcoming Sunday Originals Night at Rooster's Blues House (535 S. Highland St) on May 25th from 6 to 9 PM. The lineup features 5 For the Kill, Hayden Hunter & The Yearly Trials, and The Half Of It—a killer night of original music you don’t want to miss. Interested in performing at a future event? Just send a Facebook message to Steve Owens to get your band on his radar!

For the feature interview segment Derrick and Jeff sit down with Brannon Heath, the newest member of Midnite Train from Memphis. Brannon shares his journey in music, from his longtime work with The Southern Edition Band to his duo project, Off the Tracks, with Karen Dillard Brown. He also discusses collaborations with Frankie Hollie and Eddie Smith, his recording studio Driftwood, and the many musicians who have influenced and shaped his career.