Brian Russell Collins: Beating Cancer & Overcoming Loss, Community through Charity, Meeting Huey Lewis, Jelly Roll Arena Tour

Welcome to the show Wilmington, NC native Brian Russell Collins! Having been in Nashville for over a decade, Brian is a familiar, friendly face in our community who has endured more than most of us ever will in a lifetime. We dive into Brian’s journey of perseverance and heartbreak, including beating cancer multiple times and the recent loss of his mom and sister - experiences that have greatly impacted his outlook on music and life. He reminisces on meeting his musical heroes Huey Lewis and Garth Brooks, shares tales from tour opening for Jelly Roll, and stresses the importance of advocacy, charity, and being there for others. Join us for an inspiring and engaging conversation filled with resilience, community, and rock and roll. We hope you enjoy!

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
1:31 Welcome, Brian! 
5:34 On Tour Opening for Jelly Roll 
11:27 Take the Audition 
20:05 Gear Talk and Drum Tuning 
25:59 Drum Supply (Sponsor) 
26:59 Watching Cody Ash 
37:39 Meeting Huey Lewis: A Lifelong Inspiration 
44:34 Charity Events and Community Impact 
44:53 Drum Box (Sponsor) 
45:36 Battling Cancer, Personal Loss, Hosting Charity Events 
1:05:24 Supporting the Next Generation of Drummers 
1:10:56 Low Boy Beaters (Sponsor) 
1:11:37 Impacting Others 
1:19:40 Tour Bus Tales and Night Terrors 
1:23:32 Groove MPL (Sponsor) 
1:24:44 Chick-fil-A and Celebrity Encounters 
1:35:26 Sonique Drums (Sponsor) 
1:36:06 Closing Questions 
1:42:17 Outro

Thank you to our Episode Sponsors:

Drum Box
https://drumbox.space

Drum Supply
https://www.drumsupply.com

Low Boy Beaters
https://lowboybeaters.com

Groove MPL
https://www.groovempl.com

Sonique Drums
https://soniquedrums.com


Connect with Brian:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianrussellcollins
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brianrussellcollins

Music Featured in this Episode:
"The Heart of Rock & Roll - Huey Lewis and the News
"I Want a New Drug - Huey Lewis and the News

------
Interview by: Dan Ainspan, Nathan Sletner
Recorded March 2025 in Nashville, TN

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:31 Welcome, Brian!
• 5:34 On Tour Opening for Jelly Roll
• 11:27 Take the Audition
• 20:05 Gear Talk and Drum Tuning
• 25:59 Drum Supply (Sponsor)
• 26:59 Watching Cody Ash
• 37:39 Meeting Huey Lewis: A Lifelong Inspiration
• 44:34 Charity Events and Community Impact
• 44:53 Drum Box (Sponsor)
• 45:36 Battling Cancer, Personal Loss, Hosting Charity Events
• 1:05:24 Supporting the Next Generation of Drummers
• 1:10:56 Low Boy Beaters (Sponsor)
• 1:11:37 Impacting Others
• 1:19:40 Tour Bus Tales and Night Terrors
• 1:23:32 Groove MPL (Sponsor)
• 1:24:44 Chick-fil-A and Celebrity Encounters
• 1:35:26 Sonique Drums (Sponsor)
• 1:36:06 Closing Questions
• 1:42:17 Outro