bio

Dakota Cline brings educated professionalism blended with energetic stage flair to the modern drumset, enhancing any live show or recording session. Using his honed understanding of musical styles and what makes a song truly pop, Dakota has played and recorded at diverse venues across Nashville, from dive bars to concert halls and everything in between.

When Dakota’s mother made him choose an instrument to learn at age 8, Dakota begrudgingly chose the learn drums, thinking it would be the easiest instrument to learn and subsequently do away with. Little did either of them know drumset would become the love of his life, and that same analytical thinking that compelled little Dakota to choose what he thought was the ‘easier’ option would become his greatest strength as a drummer. When it came time to think about college, Dakota knew he could only see himself doing one thing with his life, and quickly enrolled at Belmont University’s School of Music, a top commercial music program.

After 14 years of playing and countless bands, artists, schools, churches, and venues played, Dakota has a vast array of knowledge on how to make any song sound good. Dakota can execute this knowledge behind the kit or as a bandleader, with experience both in rehearsing different groups from fusion to vocal jazz and arranging for bigger ensembles. Being able to find the one piece of a song that separates and elevates it from any other piece of music is so important to the modern artist, and Dakota has the ear for finding it.

Dakota also can separate himself behind the kit live, bringing palpable energy to live stages that keeps artists asking for him back, but not in the way that most other drummers do. Dakota’s philosophy is ‘the music always comes first’ , meaning that contributing to the feel and form of the song is more important, especially in a live setting, than needless chops or ‘showing off’ (not that there isn’t a place for that…). This translates to any live show with Dakota behind the kit having polished feel as well as raw energy, supporting the music the audience ultimately came to hear.

Dakota is ready to expand on his musical career and journey, helping Nashville and beyond fulfill its musical potential. Whatever and wherever he’s playing, you know Dakota has the feel and focus to make it sound just right.