Some conversations leave you buzzing long after they’re over, and this one with Derek Phillips is exactly that. Derek has spent his life behind the drums, from jazz clubs in New York to studio sessions with Mumford & Sons and Little Big Town, and now to creating from his own home studio in Nashville. But what makes this episode special isn’t just the music—it’s Derek’s honesty about the struggles, lessons, and healing that have shaped him as a husband, father, and artist .

He talks about the hustle of taking $25 gigs while raising babies, the hard truth of growing up while trying to grow a marriage, and the deeper work that pulled him through shame and back toward love and authenticity. Derek doesn’t shy away from the messy parts, and that’s exactly what makes this conversation so full of heart.

And if you’ve been following us a while, you’ll recognize the last name: Derek is the dad of comedian Zavior Phillips, one of our past guests. Hearing how their creative worlds overlap; jokes and rhythms, timing and flow. It all makes this story even richer.

This is one of those episodes that feels like sitting with a friend who tells the truth in a way that makes you want to do the same.

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