Fenner Castner has been laying down a beat for some of the regions most renowned bands for the vast majority of his life. Currently active in five projects, including Jason and the Scorchers and the Tommy Womack Band, Castner is also known for setting the groove for the likes of Bill Lloyd, Don Henry, Daddy Long Leg and Geek Love Explosion.

Castner was born in 1965 in Louisville to a musical family. Though both his parents sang in church, it was his father who instilled musical aspirations in all his children. Charles B. Castner Jr. had learned his chops in the twenties and thirties from a black gardener who tended the family’s home. The man taught him to tickle the ivories boogie woogie style and he continued training on his own, teaching himself classical piano techniques.

Fenner grew up in a house with two pianos which were played daily and was in awe of his father’s command of thousands of songs. Music was primarily a hobby for the elder Castner, however a woman named Katy Smith did book him fairly regularly for country club shows. He also attended jam parties with his friends and on one occasion met and played with the piano great Pete Johnson. Music featuring Charles Castner and Tom Harris was recorded on a 10″ colored vinyl record entitled Barrelhouse Piano.

Fenner’s sister also played the piano and his older brother played guitar. Though Fenner was taught the basics of those instruments, it wasn’t until he began banging on the table as his brother Beau played guitar that his natural abilities began to emerge. In 1977, just before Christmas, his brother made arrangements to buy a drum kit from a friend. Sticks in hand, Fenner wore out his album collection on an antique Magnavox record player with a speaker.

“Every record was like a lesson” he said. “I’d memorize the songs and then play them. I’d only have to hear a song a couple of times”.

By 1979, his brother had invited him to join his friends in the band The Bridge (Beau Castner – guitar, Mike Sary – bass, Fenner Castner – drums). They played covers from Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.

He was able to join the drum line in marching band in high school and take lessons his junior year to learn to read music. In the early 80’s after The Bridge separated, he joined two other bands while still in high school. The Waterheads’ demise was due to the shyness of their frontman, John Alagia, who would later discover he was better suited back stage and go on to produce artists like John Mayer and Dave Matthews. The second band, New Twist, was a cover band that enjoyed regular play through Triangle Talent throughout the rest of Castner’s high school career and into his college days.

In 1983, Castner also joined French TV (Steve Roberts – keyboards, vibraphone, trumpet, Mike Sary – bass, Fenner Castner – drums, percussion, Artie Bratton – guitar), the brainchild of Mike Sary and Steve Roberts. Mike had played in The Bridge. Roberts writes about the band’s early years on their website saying “Mike remembered being impressed with Fenn’s drumming with The Bridge and reasoned: If he was good back then when he was only 14, by now he should REALLY be something. This assessment proved correct, to put it mildly. Though just 17 when he joined us, he had a real feel for the music and was a joy to work with.” The progressive rock band put out two albums before Fenner left them after his first year at Western Kentucky University. They’ve undergone several other membership changes since that time but still play and record today.

Throughout his early music career, Fenner Castner actually regarded comics as his first love and his college career began with a major in commercial art. He blew his 1983 audition at WKU and was assigned cymbals for the band. Fenner’s roommate at Western was Glen Milam, brother of local artist Clayton Payne. The two began a publication called Asylum Comics which featured original artwork, cartoons and editorials. But their friend Eric Lindgren’s use of the publication as a soap box chased off their advertisers. Castner’s main contribution to the magazine was the ongoing adventures of Spudman. The hybrid cartoon and comic fantasy told the story of a superhero who had gained his powers by eating radioactive french fries. Spudman’s adventures lasted about two years. Fenner’s adventures in college would last several years longer, but in the end his admiration for his roommates’ talent left Castner feeling ill equipped for his chosen path and he left the school to begin in another direction.

Castner’s first job in Bowling Green at Record Bar lead to a life long friendship with one of his biggest influences, local music guru Jeff Sweeney. Also under Sweeney’s employment was Mike Grimes and it wasn’t long before the two teamed to form The Killer Daisey with Keith Heric and Dave Blanchett. He also played with the Blue Cha Chas (Ned Hill, Jeff Davis, Elliot, Viva Las Vegas), a pre Cowards, pre Ned Van Go Ned Hill project.

Around 1988, Grimes and Castner met George Cohn while playing at the Exit/In. Cohn had written several songs and along with Mike Romanowsky the three formed Go Go Surreal. They enjoyed a short success as regulars at clubs such as the Exit/In and Picasso’s but creative differences separated the band after their last gig – warming up for Webb Wilder.

Grimes and Castner began anew with Brad Jones in a cover band called The Hot Buttered Rockets. They specialized in songs off the beaten path by groups such as Love, the Mc5, Abba and the Beatles, playing a different set each show. From 1990-1992 they played the same stomping grounds opening for some of the areas most talented artists such as John Cowan, Tommy Womack and Government Cheese. The group also served as a backup band for Bill Lloyd and Fenner appears on three of Lloyds albums between 1994 and 2004.

Mike Grimes began to play bass with Tommy Womack during this period but they enlisted Tommy Meyer as their drummer. Womack’s close friend Will Kimbrough considered Fenner as a drummer when forming Will and the Bushmen but also chose Meyer instead. As the three were forming a new group, the Bis-quits, Fenner spent a short time with Black Bettie (Rob Dowell, Travis McIntosh, Mike Thompson and Fenner Castner) and then teamed with Mike Thompson, Greg Walker, Greg Compton and lead singer Alan Baise in Fortress. “We were the only ones doing Metallica” remembers Fenner, but 1990 saw the band’s beginning and end.

By 1992, Thompson, Walker and Castner were talking about a new group. Mike Thompson began writing with Eddie Vincint and the two put a band together, however the first incarnation of Daddy Long Leg included neither Castner nor Walker. The formation was changed rather quickly to include the two in the lineup that would rock out packed houses in the local clubs for the next four or five years (Mike Thompson – Guitar, Eddie Vincint – Throat, Greg Walker – Bass, Fenner Castner – Drums). The Leg would record one demo of 18 songs in Nashville, but the result was somewhat disappointing. It would later meet their expectations at the hand of Dave Barrick and be released as Hoodledoins on cassette in 1993. Daddy Long Leg occasionally is coaxed into reunion shows by popular demand and has made appearances at the Jambodians events in recent years.

Throughout these band experiences, Castner continued his day job under Jeff Sweeney, though the store changed from Record Bar to Traxx to Blockbuster Music before finally folding in 1997. Throughout its existence the shop became the hub of the local scene, promoting shows and serving as the local authority on everything music. “People still regard Jeff as a pillar of rock knowledge” says Castner.

In the early to mid nineties, friend Mark Johnson also pulled Castner into the popular and enduring Fender Benders. “I always have a couple of things going cause I never can quite commit to one thing musically.” explains Castner. It was also during this time that Fenner Castner met his wife to be, Ann. “She was always around at the Daddy Long Leg shows and then followed me to the Fender Benders” smiled Castner. The couple married in 1997 and now have two daughters.

In the late nineties, Castner also drummed a stint for Swan Dive (Molly Felder, Bill Demain, Brad Jones, Fenner Castner) and artist Ross Rice, making several recordings. Tommy Meyer was playing less for Tommy Womack and Womack contacted Fenner to fill in. He became a regular for both Womack’s tour band (Tommy Womack – vocals, Guitar, Paul Slivka – Bass, Dan Seymour – Alternate Bass player, Lisa Oliver Gray – backing vox) and his recordings after that time and is featured on all of Womack’s albums since Positively Na Na. According to Womack, “Fenner’s a great and unusual drummer. He plays the vocal melody on the drums sometimes, like Keith Moon would do for the Who. When Jason & the Scorchers needed a drummer, I recommended him without question. He doesn’t drink, doesn’t do drugs, is always on time and always jams. My only complaint is he’s so soft-spoken that in 12 years of being my drummer I haven’t understood a word he’s ever said to me.”

The nineties also saw participation from Fenner in Lisa Gray’s Soltree, Moral Chain of Custody (Billy Mac Hill, Johnny Thompson, Dan Dilamarter, Fenner Castner), Envy Estate (Johnny Thompson – vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, saxophone, Keith Heric – bass, Pete Karbens (then Fenner) – drums, Kerry Pruitt – violin), Wanker (Mike Natcher – guitar, Fenner Castner – drums, Jeffro Bean – bass), Thundapimp (Dr. Wingbutter – bass, Mike Natcher – guitar, Fenner Castner – drums, Johnny Thompson), Speechless (Tom Tutino, Joe Parker, Fenner Castner, John Martin), the Sparrows, King Bub (Robin Eaton, Brad Talbott, Brad Jones, Fenner Castner) and The Side. The latter group was short lived but immortalized on celluloid for the Bowling Green based slasher “Hauntedween”. During this period, Castner was also used for recording with Marshall Crenshaw along with Byron House and Bill Lloyd as well as a TV taping with Don Henley. The turn of the decade gave rise to Geek Love Explosion with former Government Cheese member Skot Willis (words, guitar), John Martin (Lead guitar), Donnie Bott (Occasional live show Guitar), Mike “Snatch” Natcher (Bass) and Fenner “The gimp” Castner (Drums). The group produced one recording, the Geeks Have Landed, and on rare occasions makes reunion appearances.

In 2002, Jason Ringenberg contacted Caster to replace Scorcher’s drummer Perry Baggs who was stepping down due to declining health. According to Wikipedia “With a sound that straddled hard rock, punk rock and country music, Jason and the Scorchers are noted for their energetic live performances, and earned strong reviews from critics: [like] Mark Deming, who declared they ‘blazed a trail for the cowpunk and alt-country movements that followed in their wake.'”

Fenner joined the Scorchers (Jason Ringenberg – vocals, acoustic guitar, Warner Hodges – guitar, vocals, Kenny Ames – bass, Fenner Castner – drums) for their Texas and midwest tour dates that year and became a regular. Castner played pinch hitter for Baggs in 2007 when the drummer was able to join the group for a large portion of their three hour set for “Perryfest” which celebrated their 25th anniversary and helped to raise money for a kidney for the original drummer. Fenner writes about the show in his myspace blog saying “Being able to share the stage with the talents that make up Jason & the Scorchers has been a tremendous honor for me, and being able to watch the near-original lineup storm through their best loved songs last night just about brought tears to my eyes. Everyone who was involved in making this happen and everyone who loves the Scorchers to this day all came together to make the two nights an unforgettable spectacle to behold. JATS has always been the band that nobody could touch as far as performances go, and last night was a landmark performance in my book. Perry Baggs played his heart out and literally blew me away with his stamina in his condition.”

According to Jason Ringenberg “I have worked with Fenner Castner for different projects for almost 10 years now. I have used him on my kids music character Farmer Jason, my solo singer-songwriter stuff, and with Jason and the Scorchers. He has been filling in for the original Scorcher’s drummer Perry Baggs since Perry’s health started failing, and those are hard shoes to fill!

I always find that I can count on Fenner to bring to any project a deep energy, a complete ability to focus on the track at hand, and an almost genius ability to remember songs and drum patterns. He is a great musician and well respected around our community in the “other side of Nashville…”

Castner’s association with Jason Ringenberg also lead to invitations with other projects such as Warner Hodges’ solo project and his Disciples of Loud (Warner Hodges, Todd Austin, Tara Austin, Kenny Ames, Riq Lazarus, Matt Green, Fenner Castner), Ginger and the Scorchers and the Stacie Collins Band (Stacie Collins – Lead vox, Harmonica, Al Collins – bass, backing vox, Warner Hodges – Guitar, back vox, Dan Baird – guitar, back vox). Fenner embarked on a three week tour of Europe and Scotland with Hodges and toured the military base in Guantanamo Bay Cub with Collins’ Band.

In addition to live shows and recording with the aforementioned Nashville artists, Castner currently keeps the groove for several local bands including Lust For Diva (Mike Natcher – guitar, Fenner Castner – drums, Dr. Wingbutter – bass, Josh Hines – bass), The Farm and most recently Stormbringer. Lust for Diva was formed in 2001 and plays both originals and covers by Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and the like. The music is penned by Mike Natcher and backed by Josh Hines on bass. Fenner describes the result as a “sea of sound”, adding “Mike likes to throw in glam influences but I’m not sure exactly what he’s talking about – sometimes he throws a boa around the mic stand.”

The Farm is a Russellville based band formed in 2006 comprised of Travis McIntosh, Rob Dowell, Tim Taylor and Fenner Castner which is currently working on a demo.

Stormbringer, Castner’s newest endeavor features Tony Lindsey (vocals), Tom Tutino (guitar), Joe Parker (bass), Fenner Castner (drums). The cover band played their first show at the Jambodian’s Bash and will be showcased in May at the Appreciation Fest at WhaBah’s and May 9 at the Brewing Company.

Hauntedween was not Fenner Castner’s only foray into the world of film soundtracks. Joining Tethys (Daniel Ormond – Guitar, Joel Thomas – Bass, Fenner Castner – V-drums) for two CDs, Castner had his first experience with electronic drums. The album Devonian became the soundtrack to an independent film whos name escapes Castner. A couple of colloborations with Jason Ringenberg have made their way to the big screen including No Hill is too Steep which was a 30 second piece of a song used in the animated Dreamworks film, Happily N’ever After and a track from All over Creation called Honky Tonk Maniac From Mars which rolled thru the credits on 2002’s The Big Empty.

Despite his full plate, Fenner has vague ideas of forming a Who tribute band, saying “I have the drum kit”. He also divulged that “Daddy Long Leg is threatening to get back together, but Mike and Eddie haven’t starting writing yet.” By day he spends most of his time with daughters Shelby (6) and Emily (3). Inspired by annual shows at Richardsville Elementary where his wife Ann teaches, he is considering taking on some drum students, though admits his brief excursion into teaching in the nineties was “failed miserably”. His performances at the school are one of the highlights of the year as he plays them with two of the people he admires most, his father and Doc Livingston. He introduced the two some years ago and they instantly became old friends.

Content with his accomplishments and looking forward to all the projects on the horizon, Fenner stated “There have been some missed opportunities. But I think I’ve done alright over the years and been lucky enough to do it as a friend instead of a hired hand.”

Kim Mason is the Content Manager of the Amplifier which was founded by her in 1995. She serves as Executive Director for the Bowling Green International Festival and designs websites – www.kimmason.ky.net