Will Clipman

Will Clipman began playing his father's drums and his mother's piano at the age of three, and has since then mastered a pan-global palette of percussion in addition to the traditional drum set. He has recorded over 55 albums, including over 30 for Canyon Records, where he is regarded as the house percussionist. Will's music has received many honors, including seven GRAMMY nominations and two Native American Music Awards. While he is not an officially enrolled member of any tribe, Will acknowledges his family's indigenous heritage by identifying himself as a Saamokee, a word he coined combining his Cherokee lineage on his father's side with his Saami lineage on his mother's side. This deep ancestral influence infuses Will's recordings and live performances, and informs his approach to the drum as both a musical instrument and a shamanic implement.