Brad Rice was raised in a family where music was always fostered. His step-father held a masters music education degree, so it was encouraged at a young age. His mother, an accomplished piano player, also taught, giving piano lessons from home to neighborhood kids, housewives and retirees. Naturally, brad started on piano and voice at 7, picked up his first band class in 6th grade, where he began learning percussion. About the same time, a private tutor was hired, and he began studying privately for the next 6 years. Brad was active in orchestra, concert band, vocal music, competitive drama and the marching band, where he served as captain of the Drumline throughout high school. He also was a member of the Oklahoma City Youth Symphony for 4 years during the same period. Brad met a fraternity brother, Jason Boland, while in college at Oklahoma state university who shared a similar taste in music. 3 years into their friendship, Boland formed the band Jason Boland & The Stragglers. 10 years later, the band is still faithfully touring over 200 shows per year, with solid ties in the south, Midwest and east coast. The band has sold over 150,000 records independently, and sells out Honky Tonks and small theaters from Chicago to Texas, and Colorado to Washington, DC. The bands newest release dropped in august, and landed them on billboards top 200 at #159,and was the #1 country album on iTunes. Brad has recorded all the drums on all studio releases for the Stragglers, as well as playing on their "Live at Billy Bobs" release from 2002.