ABOUT | DISCOGRAPHY | TESTIMONIALS

Darrell Nutt is a drummer, producer, and multi-disciplinary creative with decades of experience behind the kit and in the studio. He has played on over 1,500 recordings and worked with members of Steely Dan, AC/DC, YES, The Moody Blues, and Goo Goo Dolls. He began performing professionally at the age of 14 in his mother’s country band in upstate New York, continuing a long family tradition of musicianship. His musical roots run deep—his grandfather was a West Virginia state fiddle champion, and nearly every member of his extended family plays or sings.
 

Growing up on the shores of Lake Ontario near Buffalo, Darrell quickly found his place in the region’s vibrant music scene. As a teenager, he gigged with musicians who had toured with Rick James, Spyro Gyra, and the Goo Goo Dolls. He went on to study music at Villa Maria College before launching into full-time touring life, first with a rising country rock band and later with a Top 40 dance band that crisscrossed the U.S., performing high-energy sets six nights a week.
 

At 22, Darrell moved to Nashville and immersed himself in the city's music industry. He played with The Warren Brothers, jammed with The Wooten Brothers, and became a session regular at Blue Moon Studios in Tallahassee (formerly Pegasus Studios, built by Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks). There, he sharpened his skills in engineering, songwriting, and genre-blending production.
 

He later joined The Forester Sisters as their touring drummer during their peak years, performing on the Grand Ole Opry, touring Europe, and sharing stages with legendary acts like Ricky Skaggs, BJ Thomas, and The Oak Ridge Boys.
 

Darrell eventually put down roots in Southwest Florida and founded defMEDIA Group, a creative production company offering audio recording, video production, graphic design, and online session drumming. He has produced and engineered 29 albums, tracked thousands of drum performances for artists around the world, and continues to expand his creative offerings.

In 2018, he co-hosted the performance-based podcast Music Studio Live alongside singer-songwriter Sarah Hadeka, where they spotlight original artists through live in-studio performances and intimate interviews.
 

Whether recording, mixing, or drumming, Darrell’s guiding principle is simple: serve the song.