Bio

 
 

Karlton spent the first years of his career in New York State where he received training from drummer/percussionists John McNeill, Ruth Cahn, Ted Moore, Dave Mancini, and Jim Petercsak.  He was a part of the local nightlife, performing regularly in the Rochester area with groups that included Reflections, local favorite Ron Cooper, and the Sheer Energy little big band led by Carl Atkins.  His first touring experiences were with American Entertainment Productions out of Columbus, Ohio.  Spending a number of months touring, backing The Hager Bros, Ronnie Stoneman, and opening for artists like Louise Mandrell and Tammy Wynette offered valuable musical experiences.


After leaving AEP, he moved to Nashville where he was offered a staff drummer position with Opryland USA and immediately began programming tracks and drumming on demo projects for Gary S. Paxton.  Shortly afterwards, he became the touring drummer for CCM artists Andrus and Blackwood.  That opportunity opened doors to an Artist Endorsement with Yamaha Drums and performances with a number of other artists including Sherry Copeland, James “Nick” Nixon, Beegie Adair, Donald Brown, Ron Huff, Jerry Coker, Jane Watt, “The Rat Pack is Back” national touring cast, Rene Koopman, The Birth of the Cool, The Moody Blues, Marcus Shirley, and many others.  He has also performed nearly 40 musicals in the Nashville and Memphis areas.  In 04 and 05 he was asked to participate in international trips to Peru and Guatemala to teach drums at worship conferences.


He could most recently be heard with the Lauren Zoeller Band, Rob Still, Rob Frazier, Pattie Cossentino, Radio Daze, Heather Michelle Cohen, Cathy Heiser and others.


He states “Without the support of such great friends, family and the Lord Jesus, I don’t know where I would be now.”


(Additional studies with Vinnie Ruggiero, Mike Combs, Keith Brown, Jim Chapin, Keith Copeland, Frank Shaffer, Chuck Morey, Dom Famularo, and Charlie Adams)


Karlton plays Yamaha Drums exclusively (Recording Custom, Birch Absolute, Rick Marotta Hipgig), along with electronic percussion


He is a former member of the Knoxville Symphony and performs on orchestral and solo percussion.