Bobby Jarzombek
A powerhouse drummer who seamlessly bridges the technical fury of progressive metal with the steady heartbeat of country music's biggest stages.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American drummer·Birthday: September 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bobby Jarzombek possesses a rare duality in the drumming world. He first made his name in the intense, complex realm of progressive metal, where his precise, polyrhythmic technique with bands like Fates Warning and solo work with Sebastian Bach won him respect from musicians and hardcore fans. His playing was a controlled storm of double bass and intricate patterns. Then, in a move that showcased his profound versatility, he locked into the entirely different groove required by country king George Strait. For years, he provided the unwavering, tasteful backbone for Strait's live shows, proving that great drumming is about serving the song, whether it's a 7/8 metal opus or a classic country waltz. This journey from the niche to the massively mainstream, all while maintaining his identity as a player's player, marks a uniquely successful career behind the kit.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bobby was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bobby Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Bobby's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has been the longtime touring drummer for country music superstar George Strait.
- Served as the drummer for progressive metal pioneers Fates Warning on several albums and tours.
- Recorded and toured extensively with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach.
Did You Know?
He is the older brother of renowned guitarist Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower, Blotted Science).
He created a series of instructional drumming videos titled 'Metal Drumming'.
He is of Polish and German ancestry.
“My right foot plays the metal, my left foot keeps the backbeat.”
