We recently connected with Francis Valentino and have shared our conversation below.

Francis, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

Both of my parents are creatives. My mother is a fine artist and art educator and my father is a writer and poet. From day one, they’ve been completely supportive and have encouraged me to chase any musical or creative paths I’ve chosen.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a full-time touring and recording drummer with twenty plus years of experience in music. I’m from the great state of New Jersey and I currently live in Nashville, TN. A few of the artists and bands I’ve worked with are: David Lee Roth, Southside Johnny, Matthew Curry, Hellbound Glory, The Billy Walton Band, Joanne Bird and many more!

I started playing the drums at a very young age and eventually worked my way into the local New Jersey music scene, which is one of the busiest and most-eclectic music scenes that I know to exist. I learned and honed my craft by performing with some of New Jersey’s finest and most-renown artists, and I was able to carve my musical path forward thanks to their inclusion, instilling of work ethic and great mentorship.

I’m very proud and perpetually grateful that I have a life and career in music and I’ve had the opportunity to play with or adjacently to some of my all-time favorite artists. Over the last decade or so, I’ve had the great fortune to perform on tours with KISS (with David Lee Roth), The Doobie Brothers and Steve Miller Band (with Matthew Curry) Kid Rock and ZZ Top (with Hellbound Glory) and many others.

Other than drumming, I love recording and producing music. Some of my favorite production work can be heard on Matthew Curry’s 2019 album “Open Road” and Joanne Bird’s “Railroad Tracks” EP which was released in early 2024.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Generally, I think most non-creatives tend to be some of the greatest lovers of art, because they don’t necessarily possess (but deeply admire) the ability to create and express in the way that artists and creatives can. That being said, convention and practicality tend to rule their lives, because that’s often what’s required for success in non-creative existences. There’s nothing wrong with that at all.. and our job as creatives, is to provide extra color, light and depth of vision for everyone, and especially for them. However, I do think many non-creatives have difficulty understanding the process in which a creation is brought to life, because it defies many of their daily sensibilities. As in: “why would someone spend huge amounts of time, put themselves through a spectrum of emotions, most certainly spend money and potentially choose pain, all for the sake of (something) that doesn’t exist (yet)”. It isn’t hard to understand that potential viewpoint, but I would only hope they realize.. that we have to do it.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, it’s the idea that we never know what will happen in the next moment, and how a new lifelong collaborator and friend is likely waiting on the other side of that moment.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francisvalentino/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fnval/
• Other: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Valentino