J. D. Blair’s credo boils down to this: Groove and praise. And, for 30-plus years, that’s exactly what J. D. Blair has done. His résumé reaches across all musical genres, beginning with his earliest influences, which began in church. These early initiations parlayed into collaborations with some of the greatest artists in contemporary Christian and gospel, including Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Point of Grace, Take 6, Kirk Whalum, and CeCe Winans.

But J. D. Blair, aka “The Groove Regulator” (and when you hear him play, it’ll be crystal clear how he got that moniker), cannot be pigeonholed. His talents translate into whatever music he plays. His teenage years found him honing his craft—whether in a marching band, or to the sounds of funk, or in the world of jazz. In later years, all these well-crafted elements have culminated and can be heard complementing the artistry of Sam “Shake” Anderson, India.Arie, April Barrows, Thomas Cain, Bootsy Collins, George Duke, Rod McGaha, Natalie MacMaster, Mike Stern, and Victor Wooten.

Because he lived a large part of his life in the south, it was inevitable that country music would eventually come calling—and it did. J. D. has played with some of the biggest names in country music, including Wynonna Judd, Lyle Lovett, Shelby Lynne, and one of the most renowned names in music history, Shania Twain. Along with a host of video and worldwide TV appearances, J. D. has received many awards for his accomplishments, including Drum! magazine’s Country Drummer of the Year award in 2000.