Jesse-Ray Leich is a versatile percussionist and drum set player who received his Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Percussion from the University of Rhode Island in 2017.
Raised in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, Jesse-Ray started playing the drums at four years old. He has played drums throughout the years, achieving multiple All-State, and All-Eastern Division musician rankings. Growing up in the music world of Rhode Island, Jesse-Ray has performed for various bands, musicals, and ensembles. Some credits include drummer/percussionist for the URI Big Band at the world-famous Newport Jazz Festival, productions of West Side Story, Footloose, Guys and Dolls, and performance competitions in Boston at the Hard Rock Cafe, among much more.
From 2013-2017, Jesse-Ray worked in Newport, RI, at the Newport Playhouse Dinner Theater, playing drum set for the Cabaret, sparking his interest in musical theater. From September 2017 to June 2018, Jesse-Ray embarked on his first National Tour as drummer/percussionist for the 3rd National Tour of "Motown the Musical" through Work Light Productions. After the Motown tour, Jesse-Ray joined the 2018-2019 2nd National Tour of “Something Rotten!” the hit Broadway musical as drummer/percussionist.
Most recently, Jesse-Ray was drumming for the 1st National Tour of “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” from August 2019-March 2020.
Upcoming, Jesse-Ray will be drumming for the Broadway-bound musicals Mr. Saturday Night featuring Billy Crystal and “KPOP” in 2022.
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Clayton Craddock, the drummer of the hit broadway musical Ain't Too Proud. He hosts the Broadway Drumming 101 Podcast and has played drums in several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including "Tick, tick…BOOM! Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, and Lady Day At Emerson's Bar and Grill. Also, Clayton has worked on: Footloose, Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Spongebob Squarepants, The Musical, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.
You can follow Clayton on the following social media platforms:
For more: claytoncraddock.com
