BIO | Tate Berkey

BIOGRAPHY

Tate Berkey is originally from Danville, Pennsylvania where he was born into a family who nurtured and supported his love for music. His musical roots can be traced back to his great uncle, pianist and composer Jackson Berkey, who was a founding member of the band Mannheim Steamroller. From an early age, Tate was drawn to the drums where he would figure out beats and rhythms he heard in songs his parents and grandparents introduced him to. He began taking lessons at age 7, eventually participating in his middle and high school bands which led to many festival competitions before graduating in 2019 from Danville Area High School. Tate is also an alumni of the Uptown Music Collective, a non profit school of music located in Williamsport, PA, where he participated in their performance program for 5 years, giving him the opportunity to grow his skills as a musician and perform with other students his age. As he began to gig regularly he found that music was how he wanted to make a living.

Following his high school graduation, Tate attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he spent four years in the Boyer College of Music’s highly acclaimed jazz program. While at Temple, he studied with many teachers including Justin Faulkner and Steve Fidyk who helped him further shape his abilities as a drummer and overall musician. He graduated from Temple in 2023 with a Bachelors in Music with a concentration in jazz performance.

Since graduating from Temple, Tate has based himself in Philadelphia as a working musician. He is currently the frequent drummer for Gabe Stillman, a nationally acclaimed blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter who is a recent BMA nominee and winner of the Gibson Guitar Award courtesy of the International Blues Challenge. When Tate is not on tour with Gabe, he works as music director for EBE Talent’s event band Paris, a high end wedding band that performs in and around the greater Philadelphia area. Additionally, he performs with many other artists ranging in a multitude of styles including Oliver Mayman, a jazz vibraphonist also based in Philadelphia, and Sadie Leigh, a 2021 American Idol contestant now independent singer songwriter.

Tate provides a groove for every musical situation that best allows the song to convey the artist’s intention. His performance and energy communicates not just with the musicians he's on stage with, but also the audience. Seeing and hearing him perform creates a joyful experience and feeling that defines what music is all about.