About Todd Sucherman
Todd
Sucherman continues to be one of the world’s most in demand
drummers and educators. While recording and touring the world with
the multi platinum rock band STYX for the last twenty four
years, he’s managed to balance a schedule of recording sessions,
masterclasses, clinics, and creating the enormously successful
“Rock Drumming Masterclass” for Drumeo. Todd has been recognized
by his peers winning many Modern Drummer Magazine Reader’s Poll
awards through the years taking top honors in the categories of
Rock Drummer, Progressive Rock Drummer, Classic Rock Drummer,
Live Drummer, Clinician, Educational DVD, Recorded performance,
and multiple placements in other categories. In 2020 after
playing drums for forty nine years, he released his first solo
record, “Last Flight Home.”
Todd Sucherman grew up in a musical family. His father, Arnold
J. Sucherman was a doctor by day, and a big band drummer by
night. He was the house drummer at the famed Chez Parre’ in
Chicago through the 1940s and 50’s. During that time he worked
with Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr., Sophie Tucker, Joe E. Lewis,
Jack Benny and countless others. While on the road, at a gig in
New Orleans, Arnold met a young actress, Jo Seiwert, who was
performing together in the same variety show. They were married
and soon formed a family of their own.
Paul was first (keyboards), then Joel (bass), then Todd (drums).
Todd was fascinated with the drums as an infant. His father
taught him to play and could read music by age five. His first
paying gig was with his brothers, “The Sucherman Brothers” at
age six. They continued to play together and with other
musicians for years.
Todd kept up with his musical studies through school and
attended Berklee College of Music for one year. There he studied
privately with Gary Chaffee, a world renowned educator with
former students the likes of Steve Smith and Vinnie Colaiuta.
In 1988, Todd returned to Chicago and quickly established
himself as a first call musician in the recording scene. As an
in demand player for live and session work, this led to his
association with the band STYX. Todd was called in to record
when Styx’s John Panozzo was ill. After John Panozzo’s untimely
death, Todd’s position in the band was solidified. Twenty four
years later Styx continues to play to millions of fans all over
the world averaging 100 dates a year. Todd has recorded several
albums with the band including “Big Bang Theory” which put the
band in the top 50 on Billboard for the fourth straight decade
and “The Misson” which garnered him a Modern Drummer Reader’s
Poll award for “Best Recorded Performance. In-between his time
with Styx he’s recorded over 1000 radio and TV spots and worked
with artists diverse as Peter Cetera, Brian Culbertson, Spinal
Tap, Michael Bolton, The Falling Wallendas, Eric Marienthal,
Taylor Mills, Antoine Fafard, Tzan Niko and Brian Wilson
(including his 2003 release with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton
and Elton John.) Todd has been an in demand clinician performing
at drum festivals around the world.
More accolades came with the release of the “Methods &
Mechanics” DVD series (I & II) both winning multiple awards in
drumming education in 2008 and 2011. In 2019, Drumeo launched
“Rock Drumming Masterclass” that was wildly successful in the
field of online education reaching drummers from over 60
different countries.
2020 saw Todd step out front for the first time as a singer/
songwriter with the release of “Last Flight Home” —marking new
musical territory and a different landscape to explore. “Music,
melodies, and the story of the lyric is what was always most
important to me. I think that’s why I went in the direction I
did with Last Flight Home.” Todd explains. “Having just played
the challenging instrumental music of Antoine Fafard on his
Borrowmean Odyssey record, I feel that scratch had been itched.
So by doing this record, I wanted to see if I could pull off
something I wasn’t sure that I could pull off. I found that to
be frightening, challenging, and I thought that’s exactly where
I should be.”
Equally comfortable on the stage with STYX, playing instrumental
music with Tzan Niko or Antoine Fafard, prog rock with Finally
George or The Legacy Pilots, Gershwin standards with Brian
Wilson, risking his life with Spinal Tap, or taking a step out
front— Todd has taken his place in the Pantheon of the elite
drummers/musicians in the world.
Todd has appeared on records with (released or unreleased) or
has performed with:
Brian Wilson — Imagination, Brian Wilson On Tour (DVD), Gettin’
In Over My Head (featuring Paul McCartney, Elton John and Eric
Clapton, That Lucy Old Sun (CD & DVD), Wilson Reimagines
Gershwin
Styx (The Mission, Greatest Hits 1 & 2, Return To Paradise,
Brave New World, Arch Allies, Cyclorama, Styxworld Live, Big
Bang Theory, 21st Century Live, One With Everything with the
CYO, Regeneration Vol 1 & 2, Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight
Live, Live From The Orleans Arena )
Tommy
Shaw (Seven Deadly Zens)
Peter Cetera (One Clear Voice)
Brian Culbertson (After Hours, Secrets, Somethin’ Bout Love,
Come On Up)
Taylor Mills (Lullagoodbye, Under the Surface)
Harry Shearer (Can’t Take a Hint)
Neil Zaza (Peach, Live From the Kent Stage)
Antoine Fafard (Borromean Odyssey)
Tzan Niko (Ascension)
Derek Smalls (Smalls Change)
Finally George (Life is a Killer)
Legacy Pilots (Con Brio)
Steve Cole (Stay Awhile, Spin)
The Falling Wallendas (The Falling Wallendas, Belittle)
Bob Mamet (Night and Day)
Henry Kapono (Spirit Dancer, Hits)
Adrian Galysh (Tone Poet)
Wade Hubbard (Insanity Lane)
Greg Ridley (Anthology)
Michael Bolton (Only A Woman Like You)
John Wetton (Welcome To Heaven)
Morty Shallman (Love’s Oblivion)
Vinnie Zumo (Swinging Guitar Sounds of Young America vol.3)
Lee Nysted (One Word)
Billy Ocean, R Kelly, Survivor, Jim Peterik, John Wetton, Joe
Lynn Turner, Fareed Haque, Scott Bennett, Fyfe Dangerfield, Mike
Carr,
Rochelle, Steve Kolander, Nicholas Markos, Tim Cunningham, Jim
Brickman, Danny Kravitz, Into the Green, Bill Dickens, Kane
Robberts, and others.
Live Performances:
Styx, Brian Wilson, Eric Marienthal, Spinal Tap, Lawrence Gowan,
Brian Culbertson, Neil Zaza, Steve Cole, Bobby Enriquez, David
Hasselhoff, Dave Uhrich, Falling Wallendas, Bob Mamet, Darryl
Jones, Sandy Torano, Bill Dickens, Fareed Haque, Peter White,
Rick Braun, Michael McDermott, Josie Aiello, Lionel Cole, and a
night at Carnegie Hall (May 2008) with Brian Wilson, Sting,
James Taylor, Billy Joel and John Sebastian.
Various drum clinics and festivals including Cape Breton Drum
Fest, Montreal Drum Fest, Quebec Drum Festival, Adams Drum
Festival (Belgium and Holland), La Rioja Drum Festival, Rome’s
Batterika Festival, PASIC ’06 and ’12, Pearl Day Canada, Pearl
Day UK, Drum Festival Switzerland, London Drum Show, Chicago
Drum Show, the Modern Drummer Festival 2008.
Film and Television-Radio spots:
Orange County (Soundtrack)
The Negotiator (trailer)
If These Walls Could Talk 2 (HBO)
Twice upon a Time (Lifetime)
Jingles–over a thousand spots, the likes of McDonald’s,
Budweiser, Honda,
Pepsi, Reebok, Miller, Nabisco, etc.
Download Hi-Res Photos
and Todd's Biography
Todd Sucherman Biography (click to download)
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Recent Videos
Todd Sucherman "Sacred Book of Favorite Days"
(Last Flight Home - 2020)
Todd Sucherman "Ad Lib
Everything"
(Last Flight Home - 2020)