Drummerworld left arrow drummer page gallery
Kirk Covington
Captain Kirk
next drummer Drummerworld
Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld




Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld
Kirk Covington
Kirk Covington is the drummer best-known for his work with the jazz fusion group Tribal Tech.

Born in Midland, Texas, he attended the highly-regarded University of North Texas College of Music where he met bassist Gary Willis, with whom he later joined Tribal Tech.

Covington has also performed or recorded with other noted musicians including Joe Zawinul, Robben Ford, Allan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson, and John Humphrey.

Between 1998 and 2006 Covington toured with Scott Henderson and bass player John Humphrey as a trio. In 2003 they recorded Well To The Bone, as well as a live album in 2005. Covington continues to play with former Tribal Tech partner Scott Kinsey, is a member of the group VOLTO! where he also plays keyboards, and in 2008 formed his own trio, "CPT KIRK", with keyboardist Scott Tibbs and bassist Rufus Philpot.

Kirk Covington has become recognized as one of the most versatile and dynamic drummers in the world. He is the "Wild Man From Texas" that jazz fusion audiences all over the world are talking about. His energy is infinite and his crowd pleasing personality and vocal ability have been a driving force in the success of the world renowned jazz fusion group Tribal Tech featuring guitarist Scott Henderson, bassist Gary Willis and keyboardist Scott Kinsey. Coming from a musical family in Midland, Texas, and being the youngest of five children, Kirk was encouraged to begin playing drums at age seven by his brother Kyle (who is now in demand as a guitarist in the Nashville scene).

By age twelve, Covington was a full time "garage band junkie". "Kyle made me play 'Wipeout' for the older guys all the time, which probably explains my penchant for playing single strokes, or what I call blender fills". Encouraged by his grandmother to play piano in his elementary years, Covington opted for sports instead and decided to stick to the drums, leaving the piano behind until his senior year of high school. At age fifteen, Kirk was borrowing the family truck, and hauling his drum kit to rock'n'roll and country gigs around the Midland, Texas region. "By virtue of my age, I was heavily influenced by sixties and seventies rock and was also introduced to jazz through my parents love of swing and big band. In those days you also had to sing if you wanted to land the really good gigs". With little formal training, Covington entered the internationally renowned North Texas State University jazz program.

He eventually landed the drum chair in the famous Two O'clock Lab Band, a position that would also create many relationships with now famous players, including a young bassist named Gary Willis. After college, Covington and Willis continued to work together in Condor, one of the most popular jazz fusion bands in the region. Condor released an album in 1981 on Inner City Records that spent 4 weeks at #2 on the European Melody Maker Jazz charts. Several notable drummers followed in Covington's footsteps in Condor, including Greg Bissonette and Mike Baker. By this time Kirk has developed a naturally powerful and very soulful vocal style that, combined with his ever growing skills as a drummer and keyboardist, quickly made him one of the most sought after players in the Dallas area. Being a vocalist, keyboardist and drummer have also led to several national promotional spots, writing and performing corporate jingles and radio, TV spots. Encouraged by the success that bassist Gary Willis and other North Texas musical associates found in relocation to Los Angeles, Covington decided it was time to pack up his family and make the big move.

It was Covington's strong keyboard and vocal abilities that secured steady work for him in the first critical months. "Singing was really an unintentional thing for me" says Covington. "I've always been able to use it for its work value, but more and more I'm able to enjoy it as another avenue of musical expression". In the spring of 1991, the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech began a search for a new drummer. They needed a player whose technique was a flawless as their own: a visionary player who could help carry Tribal Tech into the next decade. The search ended with Willis' old Texas friend Covington. Covington's success in Tribal Tech has propelled him into the spotlight as the animated backbone of "Tribal" shows world wide.

His inventive drumming has been captured on the last three "Tribal" releases on Mesa/Bluemoon Records, Illicit ('92), Face First ('93), and Reality ('95). A new Tribal Tech release is scheduled for 1999. Guitarist Scott Henderson has also recruited Covington onto his solo recording efforts. Henderson's Dog Party CD, released in '94, featured Covington on drums and also unleashed Kirk's vocal talents on seven tunes. Dog Party is Henderson's most successful recording to date, and was voted Best Blues Record of the Year by Guitar Player Magazine (Jan. '95 issue) even receiving more votes than B.B. King's Blues Summit. Covington can be heard locking down the groove on Henderson's most recent burning blues release Tore Down House on Mesa/Bluemoon released in April '97. Covington's successful endeavors with Tribal Tech have led him to the calling of another of the 20th century's greatest guitar virtuosos, Allan Holdsworth. Holdsworth enlisted Covington, Gary Willis (bass) and pianist Gordon Beck for his most recent release titled None Too Soon . Modern Drummer Magazine Aug. '96 issue features "A Different View" with Holdsworth, in which Holdsworth speaks highly of Covington, commenting "I would really look forward to playing with him (Covington) in a context that is outside the one we just did" (which is straight ahead modern bebop). "I would love to have a chance to play with him on my own music".

Covington headlined the 1995 Montreal Drum Festival in which his inspiring performance with keyboardist Scott Kinsey and bassist Gary Willis brought the enthusiastic crowd to their feet. Modern Drummers May '96 issue exclaims, "The entire Drum Fest was brought to a dynamic conclusion with the performance of the Kirk Covington Trio". The Montreal Drum Fest was recorded and is available on CD. Covington's drum solo opens the CD followed by the Scott Kinsey composition "Foreign Affairs" which was first recorded on the Tribal Tech Reality Check album. A 10 page feature story on Kirk can be found in the November '96 issue of Modern Drummer magazine with Bill Milkowski discussing Kirk's part, present and future ambitions along with his many prolific accomplishments. Eclipsing all that Kirk Covington has achieved will be his much anticipated solo release which will feature the talents of guitarist Allan Holdsworth, bassists Gary Willis, as well as David Carpenter. Covington will incorporate his drumming, vocal and keyboard talents into a variety of musical styles that will be sure to astonish many of the followers of this "Wild Man From Texas".

Kirk Covington is endorsing Zildjian Cymbals/Sticks, Yamaha drums and Attack Heads.




Kirk Covington Drummerworld






Kirk Covington Drummerworld © Heinz Kronberger



Drummerworld Video
Kirk Covington - Fredrik Sahlander - Bernt Andre Moen
SAH
Funky Blues Live





Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld



Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld



Drummerworld Video
Kirk Covington at Windy Hill Studios - Austin - TX
Greasy Funk
Captain Kirk plays them both: Drums & Organ





Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld © Heinz Kronberger



Drummerworld Video
Kirk Covington
John Fremgen - Mitch Watkins - John Mills
Captain Kirk Live at the Elephant Room




Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld



Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld


Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld



Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld



Kirk Covington - Captain Kirk - Drummerworld



Kirk Covington Drummerworld© Heinz Kronberger



Kirk Covington Drummerworld© Gianpaolo Solitro



Kirk Covington Drummerworld© Darrin J. Zammit Lupi 2001



Kirk Covington Drummerworld



Kirk Covington Drummerworld



Kirk Covington Drummerworld
© Heinz Kronberger



Kirk Covington Drummerworld



Kirk Covington Drummerworld



Kirk Covington Drummerworld Keith Carlock - Anton Fig - Kirk Covington
© Mike Haid



Kirk Covington Drummerworld



Kirk Covington Drummerworld Danny Carey - Kirk Covington



Kirk Covington Drummerworld thanks for your visit!






CLICK:
the 500 Top Drummers:
Matt Abts

Alex Acuna

Daniel Adair
Chris Adler
Morgan Agren
Airto Moreira Drummerworld
Airto

Tommy Aldridge
Tim Alexander
Rashied Ali
Don Alias
Carl Allen
Tony Allen
Cliff Almond
Barry Altschul
Robby Ameen
Scott Amendola
Animal
Charly Antolini - Drummerworld
Charly Antolini

Carmine Appice - Drummerworld
Carmine Appice

Vinny Appice
Kenny Aronoff - Drummerworld
Kenny Aronoff

Joe Ascione
Mick Avory
Marcel Bach
Manolo Badrena
Colin Bailey
Donald Bailey
Ginger Baker - Drummerworld
Ginger Baker

Jeff Ballard
Joe La Barbera
Danny Barcelona
travis Barker - Drummerworld
Travis Barker

Barriemore Barlow
Joey Baron
Ranjit Barot
Julio Barreto
Ray Bauduc
Eddie Bayers
Marcus Baylor
Frank Beard
Carter Beauford
Bruce Becker
Poogie Bell
Louie Bellson - Drummerworld
Louie Bellson

Frank Bellucci
Brian Bennett
Han Bennink
Joe Bergamini
Tal Bergman
Jon Bermuda Schwartz
Ignacio Berroa
Denzil Best
Pete Ray Biggin
Curt Bisquera
Gregg Bissonette
Jason Bittner
Roger Biwandu
Dave Black
James Black
Jim Black
Cindy Blackman
John Blackwell - Drummerworld
John Blackwell

Brady Blade
Brian Blade - Drummerworld
Brian Blade

Hal Blaine - Drummerworld
Hal Blaine

Art Blakey - Drummerworld
Art Blakey

Jason Bonham
John Bonham - Drummerworld
John Bonham

Gergo Borlai
Paul Bostaph
Terry Bozzio
Paulo Braga
Dirk Brand
Jimmy Branly
Tom Brechtlein - Drummerworld
Tom Brechtlein

Amir Bresler
Don Brewer
Gerry Brown
Bill Bruford - Drummerworld
Bill Bruford

Ronald Bruner Jr.
Jack Bruno
Mark Brzezicki
Roy Burns
Ronnie Burrage
William Calhoun
Clayton Cameron
Matt Cameron
Gorden Campbell
Teddy Campbell - Drummerworld
Teddy Campbell

Tommy Campbell
Emmanuelle Caplette
Danny Carey
Keith Carlock - Drummerworld
Keith Carlock

Bun E. Carlos
Karen Carpenter
Terri Lyne Carrington
Bernhard Castiglioni
Joey Castillo
Lenny Castro
Deen Castronovo
Big Sid Catlett
André Ceccarelli
Dave DiCenso
Gary Chaffee
Matt Chamberlain
Jimmy Chamberlin
Dennis Chambers - Drummerworld
Dennis Chambers

Joe Chambers
Ndugu Chancler
Jim Chapin
Gary Chester
Jon Christensen
Kenny Clare
Greg Clark
Mike Clark
Kenny Clarke - Drummerworld
Kenny Clarke

Doug Clifford
Tommy Clufetos
Jimmy Cobb - Drummerworld
Jimmy Cobb

Billy Cobham - Drummerworld
Billy Cobham

Vinnie Colaiuta - Drummerworld
Vinnie Colaiuta

Cozy Cole - Drummerworld
Cozy Cole

Chris Coleman
Cora Coleman-Dunham
Tony Coleman
Phil Collins
Bobby Colomby
Aaron Comess
Luis Conte
Tre Cool
Ray Cooper
Stewart Copeland - Drummerworld
Stewart Copeland

Kirk Covington
René Creemers
Adam Cruz
Sylvia Cuenca
Abe Cunningham
Mickey Curry
Andrew Cyrille
Nick D'Virgilio
Paulinho Da Costa
Duduka Da Fonseca
Brann Dailor
Dino Danelli
Zach Danziger
Flo Dauner
Chris Daddy Dave - Drummerworld
Chris "Daddy" Dave

Alan Dawson - Drummerworld
Alan Dawson

Mikkey Dee
Barrett Deems
Jimmy DeGrasso
Adam Deitch
Jack DeJohnette - Drummerworld
Jack DeJohnette

Kenwood Dennard
John Densmore
Wim DeVries
Dave DiCenso
Rick Dior
Marko Djordjevic
Warren "Baby" Dodds
Peter Donald
Virgil Donati
Gabor Dornyei
Paul Douglas
Brian Downey
Hamid Drake
Bernie Dresel
Martin Drew
The Drumbassadors
Billy Drummond
Aynsley Dunbar
Sly Dunbar
Frankie Dunlop
Mario Duplantier
Bobby Durham
Sheila E.
Phil Ehart
Dave Elitch
Paul Elliott
Sonny Emory
Bertram Engel
Peter Erskine - Drummerworld
Peter Erskine

Dom Famularo
Pierre Favre
Steve Ferrone
Anton Fig
Vera Figueiredo
Sammy Figueroa
Larry Finn
Eric Fischer
Mick Fleetwood
Duduka Da Fonseca
George Fludas
D.J. Fontana
Hannah Ford-Welton
Shannon Forrest
Al Foster - Drummerworld
Al Foster

Vernel Fournier
Panama Francis
Joe Franco
Brian Frasier-Moore
Josh Freese
Kiko Freitas
Steve Gadd - Drummerworld
Steve Gadd

James Gadson
Richie Gajate-Garcia
David Garibaldi - Drummerworld
David Garibaldi

Matt Garstka
Mel Gaynor
Jason Gianni
Andy Gillmann
Marcus Gilmore
Nikki Glaspie
Daniel Glass
Evelyn Glennie
Jim Gordon - Drummerworld
Jim Gordon

Danny Gottlieb
Jimmy DeGrasso
Eric Kamau Gravatt
Milford Graves
Benny Greb - Drummerworld
Benny Greb

Sonny Greer
Rayford Griffin
Dave Grohl
Freddie Gruber
Donny Gruendler
Maison Guidry
Mark Guiliana - Drummerworld
Mark Guiliana

Terreon Gully
Trilok Gurtu
Ralf Gustke
Tomas Haake
Wolfgang Haffner
Omar Hakim - Drummerworld
Omar Hakim

Matt Halpern
Chico Hamilton
Jeff Hamilton - Drummerworld
Jeff Hamilton

Lionel Hampton
Jake Hanna
Eric Harland - Drummerworld
Eric Harland

Buddy Harman
Gavin Harrison - Drummerworld
Gavin Harrison

Mickey Hart
Billy Hart
Steve Hass
Fritz Hauser
Roger Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Louis Hayes - Drummerworld
Louis Hayes

Roy Haynes - Drummerworld
Roy Haynes

Richie Hayward
Albert Tootie Heath
Levon Helm
Gerry Hemingway
Don Henley
Horacio Hernandez
Claus Hessler
Gerald Heyward - Drummerworld
Gerald Heyward

Giovanni Hidalgo
Billy Higgins - Drummerworld
Billy Higgins

Jeff Hirshfield
Jon Hiseman
Ari Hoenig
Gene Hoglan
Rodney Holmes
Steve Houghton
Daniel Humair
Ralph Humphrey
Gary Husband
Zakir Hussain
Greg Hutchinson
Susie Ibarra
Tommy Igoe
Tris Imboden
Al Jackson
Duffy Jackson
Gene Jackson
Huub Janssen
Bobby Jarzombek
Akira Jimbo
Jonas Johansen
Jack DeJohnette Drummerworld
Jack DeJohnette

Gus Johnson
Mike Johnston
Daru Jones
Elvin Jones - Drummerworld
Elvin Jones

Harold Jones
Papa Jo Jones - Drummerworld
Papa Jo Jones

Philly Joe Jones - Drummerworld
Philly Joe Jones

Rufus "Speedy" Jones
Steve Jordan - Drummerworld
Steve Jordan

Joey Jordison
Jonathan Joseph
Manu Katché
Senri Kawaguchi
Jim Keltner - Drummerworld
Jim Keltner

Will Kennedy
Billy Kilson
George Kollias
Glenn Kotche
Joey Kramer
Bill Kreutzmann
Gene Krupa - Drummerworld
Gene Krupa

Russ Kunkel
Joe La Barbera
Abe Laboriel, jr.
Gene Lake
Don Lamond
Thomas Lang
Dave Langguth
Shannon Larkin
Pete LaRoca Sims
Karl Latham
Rick Latham
Trevor Lawrence Jr.
Ricky Lawson - Drummerworld
Ricky Lawson

Chris Layton
Tommy Lee
Felix M. Lehrmann
Paul Leim
Stan Levey
Larnell Lewis
Mel Lewis
Victor Lewis
Pete Lockett
Dave Lombardo
Larrie Londin
John Longstreth
Hakim Ludin
Ray Luzier
Peter Magadini
Mike Mangini
Shelly Manne - Drummerworld
Shelly Manne

Brian "Brain" Mantia
Sherrie Maricle
Rick Marotta
John Marshall
Billy Martin
Pedrito Martinez
Ken K. Mary
Harvey Mason - Drummerworld
Harvey Mason

Nick Mason
Pat Mastelotto
Dave Mattacks
Phil Maturano
Jojo Mayer - Drummerworld
JoJo Mayer

Marilyn Mazur
Nicko McBrain
Joe McCarthy
George Spanky McCurdy
Jason McGerr
Russ McKinnon
Marvin McQuitty
Buddy Miles
Butch Miles
Russ Miller
Marco Minnemann
Mike Mitchell
Mitch Mitchell - Drummerworld
Mitch Mitchell

Joseph Ziggy Modeliste
Jonathan Moffett
Mark Mondesir
Drori Mondlak
Keith Moon - Drummerworld
Keith Moon

Eric Moore
Stanton Moore - Drummerworld
Stanton Moore

Steve Moore
Airto Moreira Drummerworld
Airto Moreira

Joe Morello - Drummerworld
Joe Morello

Rod Morgenstein
Joe Morris
Nate Morton
Paul Motian
Famadou Don Moye
Alphonse Mouzon
Jonathan Mover
Moritz Mueller
Idris Muhammad
Narada
Lewis Nash
Sandy Nelson
Andy Newmark
Jost Nickel
Anika Nilles
David Northrup
Gary Novak
Nippy Noya
Adam Nussbaum
Volkan Oektem
Jamie Oldaker
Nigel Olsson
Tony Oxley
Ian Paice - Drummerworld
Ian Paice

Carl Palmer - Drummerworld
Carl Palmer

Earl Palmer - Drummerworld
Earl Palmer

Francis Panama
Toss Panos
Chris Parker
Leon Parker
Vinnie Paul
Jim Payne
Sonny Payne
Lee Pearson
Neil Peart - Drummerworld
Neil Peart

Shawn Pelton
Clarence Penn
Chris Pennie
Armando Peraza
Karl Perazzo
Stephen Perkins
Charli Persip
Ralph Peterson
Pat Petrillo
Simon Phillips - Drummerworld
Simon Phillips

Diego Piñera
Jeff Porcaro - Drummerworld
Jeff Porcaro

Mike Portnoy - Drummerworld
Mike Portnoy

Cozy Powell
Bobby Previte
Thomas Pridgen
Aquiles Priester
Dafnis Prieto
Tito Puente
Bernard Purdie - Drummerworld
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie

Alvin Queen
Jeff Queen
Questlove
Johnny Rabb
Tobias Ralph
Stanley Randolph
Rich Redmond
Raul Rekow
Walfredo Reyes, Jr.
Walfredo Reyes
Buddy Rich - Drummerworld
Buddy Rich

Dannie Richmond
Sean Rickman
Alex Riel
Karriem Riggins
Ben Riley
Herlin Riley
Jim Riley
John Riley - Drummerworld
John Riley

Ringo Starr - Drummerworld
Ringo

Max Roach - Drummerworld
Max Roach

Lil John Roberts
John J.R. Robinson - Drummerworld
John J.R. Robinson

Pete LaRoca Sims
Bobby Rock
Derek Roddy
Calvin Rodgers
Mickey Roker
Bobby Rondinelli
Joel Rosenblatt
Tony Royster Jr.
Ilan Rubin
Phil Rudd
Daniel Sadownick
Bobby Sanabria
Antonio Sanchez - Drummerworld
Antonio Sanchez

Poncho Sanchez
Mongo Santamaria
Cindy Blackman Santana
Christoph Schneider
Jared Schonig
Mark Schulman
Jon Bermuda Schwartz
Kendrick Scott
Robert Sput Searight
Denny Seiwell
Danny Seraphine
Paco Séry
Chad Sexton
Gil Sharone
Ed Shaughnessy
Michael Shrieve
El Estepario Siberiano
Pete LaRoca Sims
Eric Singer
Zutty Singleton
Jeff Sipe
Chad Smith
Marvin "Smitty" Smith
Nate Smith
Nick Smith
Steve Smith - Drummerworld
Steve Smith

Ash Soan
Glen Sobel
Yoyoka Soma
Ed Soph
Matt Sorum
Richard Spaven
Aaron Spears - Drummerworld
Aaron Spears

Jeremy Stacey
David Stanoch
Zak Starkey
John "Jabo" Starks

Ringo Starr

Aaron Sterling
Billy Stewart - Drummerworld
Bill Stewart

Nisan Stewart

Clyde Stubblefield

Fredy Studer
Todd Sucherman
James "The Rev" Sullivan
Jason Sutter
Fukushi Tainaka
Grady Tate
Garo Tavitjan
Art Taylor
Joel Taylor
Mel Taylor
Roger Taylor
John Tempesta
Jon Theodore
Aaron Thier
Ed Thigpen - Drummerworld
Ed Thigpen

Ian Thomas
Questlove Thompson
Chester Thompson
Brian Tichy
Top Secret Drum Corps
Pat Torpey
Tico Torres
Dave Tough
Nat Townsley
Scott Travis
Ron Tutt
Justin Tyson
Lars Ulrich
Vadrum
Andrea Vadrucci

Christian Vander
Alex Van Halen
Ronnie Vannucci
Nana Vasconcelos
Carlos Vega
Glen Velez
Ronnie Verrell
Nicolas Viccaro
Johnny Vidacovich
Jimmy Vincent
Nick D'Virgilio
Chad Wackerman
Nasheet Waits
Narada Michael Walden
Bill Ward
Billy Ward
Kenny Washington
Derico Watson
Charlie Watts - Drummerworld
Charlie Watts

Jeff "Tain" Watts
Chick Webb
Dave Weckl - Drummerworld
Dave Weckl

Max Weinberg
Klaus Weiss
Hannah Ford Welton
Paul Wertico
Genius Lee Wesley
George Wettling
Alan White
Lenny White
Steve White
Pete Wilhoit
Brad Wilk
Rashid Williams
Tony Williams - Drummerworld
Tony Williams

Matt Wilson
Shadow Wilson
David "Pick" Withers
Kenny Wollesen
Nate Wood
Sam Woodyard
Pete York
Yoyoka
Pete Zeldman
Zoro