Hi, MD friends, I’m Taylor Hughes, and I play drums in the band Car Party. I’ve been drumming for the past five years, but my musical experience goes back sixteen years. I’ve always loved music and always wanted to play the drums.

When I was five years old I asked for my first drumkit. Instead, for my sixth birthday my parents gave me a Fender Stratocaster. (What parents really want their six-year-old making that much noise?) A few years later I started playing piano, and when I was in the fourth grade I joined the orchestra and focused primarily on the violin. When I got to high school I switched to bass and cello. When I was sixteen, I finally got my first drumset, a Pulse Percussion kit from Musicians Friend.

As a graduation gift my parents got me a Pearl Masters kit, and after a few years of playing drums, guitar, and orchestral instruments, it felt so different to me playing drums—freeing in a way. It felt right. So I put all of my focus on drums and looking for potential bandmates. A few years later I received an endorsement from Chicago Custom Percussion. They are an absolutely amazing company, and I’m very happy to be working with them. I’ve been touring exclusively with my CCP kit since 2010.CCP drums Advertisement

Over the years I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from numerous bands and drummers, but my biggest influences are Radiohead, Silversun Pickups, and Death Cab for Cutie. Music has always been in big part of my life, and in 2009 I founded Car Party. It’s been such a great experience, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Thank you for reading!

For more on Taylor Hughes and Car Party, go to http://carpartyband.com/fr_home.cfm.