Shay Godwin is a Los Angeles-based drummer, originally from the small town of Trumansburg, NY. A graduate of Ithaca College School of Music, Shay studied orchestral percussion under Gordon Stout and the late Ted Rounds. Shay also played in jazz ensembles, and was very much under jazz director Steve Brown’s tutelage.
After graduating, Shay played on cruise ships before moving to Los Angeles. Having spent most of his college time involved with orchestral percussion, ships provided a way to grow as a drum kit player — and collect a paycheck – without moving to a major market prematurely. Surrounded by other young musicians (mostly from University of North Texas), there was an atmosphere of hunger to play and get better.
Since his long-ago move to Los Angeles, Shay has done recording sessions for songwriters, television commercials, and movies. Shay has also worked with touring acts, corporate event bands, theater pit bands, house bands at clubs, and has had many students.
From 2007 to 2012, Shay ran a drum track service called eDrumSessions.com. As one of the first online session sites on the web, eDrumSessions was a pioneer. Hundreds of sessions were booked through the site, with clients all around the globe. But the toilet-bowl swirl of competing services offering too much for too little money (as well as constantly-changing Google algorithms) motivated Shay away from Search Engine Optimization and toward more musical endeavors.
Shay is a long-time member of LA band The Dirty Diamond. An independent band, they have had local radio airplay, played at The Greek Theater Los Angeles, and garnered some “elite” fans. An album is set to be released this summer.
Since 2015, Shay has spent most of his time working with two-time Grammy-nominated artist Andra Day. Starting off as her live drummer, he is now part of her songwriting/production team. An album is currently in the works for Warner Brothers records.
Shay has performed and/or recorded with:
Andra Day
The Dirty Diamond
Common
Florence Welch (Florence And The Machine)
Thomas Nicholas Band
Little Big Town
Charlotte Martin
Butterfly Boucher
Freeman
Dona Oxford
Siavash Ghomayshi
Rama Duke
Television:
Austin City Limits, The View, Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Ellen, Good Morning America, Fox New Years Eve, Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, Sharon Osbourne Show, NBA All-Star Weekend