Clayton Craddock’s drumming career spans decades and numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals. Clayton is currently the drummer of the Broadway Show Ain’t Too Proud-The Life AndTimes Of the Temptations now playing at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway. Clayton has also held the drum chair and recorded the cast albums for the musicals Altar Boyz, tick…tick… BOOM!, Memphis the Musical and Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar And Grill with Audra McDonald.
After earning his bachelor’s in business administration from Howard University in Washington, Clayton stayed in the D.C. area, managing record stores by day and immersing himself in the local music scene by night as a drummer for blues and rock bands. In 1993, Clayton took a leap of faith and moved to New York City to pursue a career in music.
In this episode, Clayton talks about:
The development and upward trajectory of Ain’t Too Proud
The process of launching a musical from the conception and initial workshopping to the full production
Learning the vocabulary of choreographers to understand what they want from a drummer
Emulating Benny Benjamin and other drummers who were part of The Funk Brothers, Motown’s “Wrecking Crew.”
Taking low money for workshops and readings in hopes that you can get in on the ground floor of something big
The many shows he’s played for over the years, either on a permanent or sub basis
The role of the Musicians Union in New York and the musical theatre scene
His experience at Howard University in Washington DC
His white collar career after college, and making the leap to full time drumming
How building your network is constructing your own safety net
Listen to it HERE:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/working-drummer/id957529466?i=1000440768693
Clayton Craddock, the drummer of the hit broadway musical Ain't Too Proud. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University's School of Business and is a 28 year veteran of the fast-paced New York City music scene.
He has played drums in several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including "Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, and Lady Day At Emerson's Bar and Grill. Also, Clayton has worked on: Footloose, Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Spongebob Squarepants, The Musical, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.
Clayton is also a father, independent thinker, and the founder and publisher of the social and political commentary newsletter Think Things Through and host of the Think Things Through Podcast. Clayton was formerly co-chair of the New York affiliate of National Parents Organization and has written for several online publications.
Follow him on Instagram, Twitter or read more on his website: claytoncraddock.com