Ron Thaler Biography

Ron Thaler is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, musical director, recording artist and record producer based in New York. A graduate of the University of British Columbia, Thaler released an instructional program for drummers called Phraseology And Individuality On The Drumset, and has appeared at international drum festivals and music colleges.

Best known by fans as the drummer on Alicia Keys' Grammy-award winning No One and on NBC TV's Lipstick Jungle, and with two Producer-of-the-Year Grammy ballot nominations, Thaler has been a member of a large number of bands and ensembles, and spent a significant amount of his career backing recording artists as a sideman as well as a session player in recording studios, while continuing a busy schedule as a record producer.

Biography

Early years

Thaler was 11 years old when he first picked up drumsticks, after playing piano for three years. He joined the high school jazz-band, and played his first professional shows at age 16 with jazz saxophonist Gordon Clements and with The Island Big Band. In his late teens, Thaler toured with electronica artist Moev in support of their release Yeah Whatever (Nettwerk/Atlantic Records) which peaked at number 8 on the Billboard and Rolling Stone music charts, also appearing on three other albums with the group, In And Out (Rebel Records/SPV), Alibis (Nettwerk/Atlantic Records), and the compilation Brave New Waves (CBC/RCA). Thaler also recorded with Sarah McLachlan (Arista Records) on her follow-up to Touch, and performed with Ultramarine (Rough Trade/Sire), Mark Hasselbach (Smooth), and Ian McDougall (Concord).

New York

In 1993, Thaler moved to New York and recorded at Envy Music House & Ludlow Productions on music jingles for the Cartoon Network, Coca-Cola, McDonald's and ESPN, and performed in latin-jazz group Conosur along with Manolo Badrena and Al DiMeola, and with Paul Simon/soukous artist Dominic Kanza. In 1996 Thaler formed "The True Story Band", and toured the group through Europe, Canada and the USA in support of the group's three releases, Works (TP/OMD/Universal), Grain (JVC) and Medium Rare Grounds (TP/Factor). As a studio drummer and multi-instrumentalist Thaler has recorded with Dweezil Zappa, DJ Logic, Bethany Joy Lenz, Taylor Dayne, Sophie B. Hawkins, Jonathan Robbins, Taj Mahal, Simaku, Rob Thomas, Alicia Keys, Ashlee Simpson, Mercedes Ferrer, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Judie Tzuke, Diana Krall, Mike Stern, Rufus Reid, and Hiram Bullock. Thaler performed with Willie Nelson, Los Lonely Boys, and 5 July at Alltel Stadium during the 2005 Superbowl in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2011, Thaler toured the USA with Anita Prime, Robbie Dupree, Joe Lynn Turner (Deep Purple) and members of Orleans as part of the 2011 All Star Rock Tour.

Producing career

Thaler has evolved into a Grammy-Award nominated producer and is a credited songwriter on Kelly Saint Patrick's In The Margins (2009 Grammy ballot for Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal, Producer of the Year), Project Grand Slam's Play (2009 Grammy ballot for Best Pop Instrumental Album, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist, Producer of The Year), Jason Yudoff's Tragic Hero (2008 Grammy ballot for Best New Artist, Album of The Year, Producer of The Year), and also appearing on Alicia Keys No One (2008 Grammy winner, #1 Billboard). In 2010, Thaler produced and co-wrote Anita Prime's Destiny, Lewis Copeland Roots at Sony/Tree, Oh Hello's One Trick Pony, and Heavy Road's Everything Changed.

In 2011 Thaler produced and co-wrote Anita Prime's single Complicated which reached #3 on Billboard, The Royal Canadians Lonely Whale, a VIMA Album-of-the-Year nominee, Mahavishnu Redefined's Timeless (ESC), and Isunray's Balancing Act.

In 2012, Thaler produced Gareth Barker's Hello World, and Project Grand Slam's Spring Dance.

In 2013, Thaler produced Traum Diggs Major Journalism.

Thaler has also produced albums The Led Zep Project w/Dweezil Zappa's Jazzed & Confused, Eric Hill's Second Sight, Elimotion's Elimotion 1, Jeff Fiorello's Jeff Fiorello, Nika Brightn's Television, and others.

Lipstick Jungle

Thaler appeared on NBC TV's Lipstick Jungle, a primetime series about New York City socialites with Brooke Shields, Andrew McCarty, Lindsey Price and Kim Raver. He played the drummer in character Shane Healy's (Paul Blackthorne) music band. Thaler had a speaking role as himself, and performed music from Project Grand Slam's Play (see "Producing Career") along with the band, who served as Shane's on-camera band. The show aired for two seasons before being cancelled in 2010.

Discography (selected)

As sideman

• Alicia Keys:

As I Am - No One (J/RCA 2008)

As I Am: The Super Edition - No One (J/RCA 2008)

• Sarah McLachlan:

Just As I Thought (Nettwerk/Arista 1991),

Rarities, B-Sides & Other Stuff (Nettwerk 1996)

• Jasper James: Vibrator (Thump 2008)
• Kacie Sheik & Rob Thomas: Anthem (TB 2004)
• Mahavishnu Redefined: A Tribute to John McLaughlin & The Mahavishnu Orchestra (ESC 2010)
• Bethany Joy Lenz: Preincarnate ( Sony/Epic, 2002)
• Jonathan Robbins: You Got Me (Arista, 1995)
• Mercedes Ferrer: Little Flame (Gasa/Warner 1999)
• Lizzy Mercier Descloux: T'As L'Air (Polydor, 1993)
• Stephen Patrick: Grunion Run (Hit Road/MTV, 2005)
• Moev:

Alibis (Rebel/SPV, 1991)

Brave New Waves (CBC/RCA, 1995)

Inside Out (Nettwerk/Atlantic, 1990)

• Brythonwen: Solus (Pagan, 2006)
• Don Kimenker: Blueberry Beer (Buzz 2012)
• Simaku: Echoes of Iliria (Reincarnate, 2006)
• The Unperson: Queen's Decade (Coldleaf, 2006)
• Bill Tonsaker: 5 Bucks A Lick (Brouhaha, 2001)
• Guitar Talk: First Come First Serve w/Joe Pass, Chuck Loeb & Barry Finnerty (EFA/JVC. 2000)

As producer

• Anita Prime:

Complicated *Smashmode & Blondie Boy Remix (Phull, 2011)

Destiny (Phull, 2010)

Destiny *Blondie Boy & Vince Harder Remix (Phull, 2011)

Destiny (Phull, 2011, video)

La La La (Phull, 2010, video)

Serenade (TP 2009)

• Royal Canadians: Lonely Whale (RCR, 2012)
• Gareth Barker: Hello World (JRNE, 2013)
• Traum Diggs: Major Journalism (623 Records, 2013)
• Project Grand Slam:

Play (Cakewalk, 2008)

Captain Of Her Heart (Cakewalk, 2007)

Spring Dance (Cakewalk, 2012)

He Ain't Heavy (Cakewalk, 2011)

• Lewis Copeland: Roots (Phull/SonyTree, 2011)
• Isunray: Balancing Act (ISR, 2012)
• Stephanie Macpherson: To You (SMR, 2009)
• Greg Merritt:

March Madness (GMR, 2012)

Everything Changed (GMR, 2010)

Heavy Road (GMR, 2009)

• Kelly Saint Patrick: In The Margins (KSPR/Hella Good, 2008)
• Jason Yudoff: Tragic Hero (JYE, 2007)
• The Led Zep Project with Dweezil Zappa: Jazzed & Confused (TP, 2000)
• Eric Hill: Second Sight (Hidden Drive, 2007)
• Jeff Fiorello

Jeff Fiorello (Vivid, 2006)

City Sessions New York (Vivid, 2007, video)

Solo artist

• True Story Band:

Works (TP/OMD/Universal, 1994)

Medium Rare Grounds (TP/Factor, 1997)

Grain (Hotwire/JVC, 1998)

• Elimotion Band: Elimotion 1 (TP, 2012)

Equipment

Acoustic drums: PEARL MASTERS MAHOGANNY CLASSIC LIMITED EDITION

• 16"x20" Bass Drum
• 12"x14" Tom Tom
• 8"x8" Tom Tom
• 10"x10" Tom Tom
• 10"x12" Tom Tom
• 11"x13" Tom Tom
• 5"x14" Wood Snare or Brass Snare

Cymbals: SABIAN

• Chinese: 16" HH China, 8" Pro China Splash, under 8" HH China Kang Brilliant, 12" AAX Mini China Brilliant
• Hihat: 13" AAX Studio Hihats Brilliant, 8" HH Splash, 13" AAX Stage Hihats
• Crash: 14" AAX Studio Crash Brilliant, 14" AAX Dark Crash, 15" AAX Studio Crash Brilliant
• Splash: 6" HH Splash Brilliant, 8" HH Splash Brilliant, 8" AA China Splash Brilliant
• Ride: 20" AAX Dry Ride or 21" Calhoun Ride
• Effects Cymbals: 8" CD Cymbal Disc, 10" Glennie's Garbage, 10" Calhoun Alien Disc, 7"/8"/9" Radia Cymbals

Drumsticks: VIC FIRTH

• Ron Thaler Signature model