Podcast Summary: Escaping the Drift with John Gafford

Episode: He Became Jelly Roll's Drummer Because of a... Mullet? (Cody Ash)
Date: January 28, 2026
Guest: Cody Ash (Drummer for Jelly Roll)

Episode Overview

This episode of "Escaping the Drift" features Cody Ash, the drummer for Jelly Roll. Host John Gafford explores Cody's journey from a small town in Kentucky—through his rebellious foray into metalcore, relentless hustling in both sports and music, and ultimately landing his high-profile drumming gig. The conversation uncovers the pivots, grit, and serendipitous moments that defined Cody's path, including the infamous "mullet" story, and provides candid advice for dreamers feeling directionless or on the brink of giving up. The tone is raw, relatable, and at times hilarious, filled with music lore and lessons on risk, humility, and the pursuit of adventure.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Small Town Roots and Upbringing

• Background in Kentucky: Cody details coming up in Mount Washington, a small manufacturing town (03:30).
• Family Dynamics: "My parents are still together... I come from like a factory family. No one in my family really played music." (05:30)
• Growing Up Multidimensional: Balanced being a "jock" (played football and baseball) and a band kid, feeling out of place in both groups (09:39).
• Sense of Community: Shares nostalgia for small-town traditions, parades, and riding in truck beds after games (13:46).

2. Early Musical Development and School Experience

• First Instruments & Education: Played percussion in concert band; attended summer music camps at EKU (08:00).
• High School Struggles: Felt like an outsider in all groups, but used these experiences to develop independence (11:23).
• Pivotal Decision: Realizes after touring that he actually cherishes his hometown (11:38).

3. Adventure, Opportunity, and the Value of Saying Yes

• Touring & First Big Band: Describes the grind of driving from Kentucky to New York to rehearse and tour with Siler, a signed metalcore band from Queens (22:11).
• Sacrifice & Hustle: Balanced multiple jobs while managing self-booked tours; lived out of vans and soft drum cases (28:23).
• Crucial Mindset:
  • "Anything that was bigger than what I was doing was an opportunity in my eyes." (31:45)
  • "For me, it was about the adventure and the story... who would drive to New York for one show just to drive back home the next [day]? That's crazy." (31:45)
• Host Reflection: John highlights Cody’s perspective, urging listeners to view opportunity not as zero-sum but as a source of stories and personal growth (32:45).

4. Stories That Shape and Bind Us

• Family Stories: Cody laments not having "big legend" family tales, then shares humorous and wild family anecdotes—including his dad’s bar fights and pool hustling (34:47).
• Host’s Childhood Story: John shares a hilarious account of nearly burning down his mother’s house—and the ensuing insurance fraud cover-up (41:00).

5. The Music Career Rollercoaster

• Metalcore Years: Details relentless touring despite lack of financial stability. “I was working four jobs just so I could go on tour and eat.” (47:52)
• Questioning the Path:
  • "Maybe I'm not meant to make money touring and playing drums… what else could you really do?" (48:21)
  • Shares a moment of doubt similar to musicians on the edge of success, paralleling stories with high-profile peers like John Driskell Hopkins (Zac Brown Band) (48:55).

6. Starstruck, Heroes, and Drummer Talk

• Drum Nerding: Swaps drum brand stories and favorite gear (Yamaha, DW, Vic Firth, Zildjian, Remo); reminisces about legendary first kits (29:25 – 31:09).
• Hero Encounters: Describes meeting Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe and being (rarely) starstruck (54:28).
• Influences: Lists drumming heroes: Aaron Spears, Tony Royster Jr., Chris Coleman, Stix Taylor, Rook, among others (52:27).

7. The Jelly Roll Break – How a Mullet Changed Everything

• Networking Pays Off: After regularly hanging around Jelly Roll’s Nashville studio, building relationships, and managing bands, Cody starts getting noticed (61:18).
• The Gig Call:
  • "I’ve heard two different stories of how I got called...That they called one dude and he didn’t want to tour, then eight to ten people brought my name up. Then, Jelly was like, ‘Alright, just call him!’… The other story is I only got the gig because I had a mullet. Which is just as cool." (64:21)
• Reflection: Cody acknowledges the role of both perseverance and random chance in big breaks.

8. Moments of Arrival and Future Aspirations

• Defining “Making It”:
  • "I’ve never had that 'I made it' thought...Everything’s a level. Now I want to buy a house, a car, build a studio—until I get all that, I haven’t ‘made it’." (65:33)
• Gratitude:
  • "Every day, I stop and appreciate where I am. I was in a van for 10 years; now I get to play stadiums…but there’s always another level." (66:40)
• Host’s Advice:
  • "Once you get those things…there's another level where you just want time. The ability to do what you want, when you want, and say no to whatever you don’t." (70:04)
• 10-Year Vision: Aspires to keep playing with Jelly Roll, start business ventures, manage more bands, do branding deals, and possibly start a podcast or TV project (73:28).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Opportunity & Story:
  • "Who would drive to New York for one show just to drive back home the next, like, after the show's done? That's crazy...for me, it was about the adventure and the story." – Cody Ash (31:45)
• On Growth Through Rejection & Dual Worlds:
  • "To make those matters worse, that’s when I started getting into metalcore… I remember, like, lifting with the baseball team, and them making fun of me for listening to screamo music and skinny jeans." – Cody (10:47)
  • "I didn't really fit in with the jocks...the band kids didn't mess with me because I was a jock." (10:53)
• On Making It:
  • "I've never had that 'I've made it' thought...Everything's a level." – Cody (65:33)
• On Time as Success:
  • "A lot of what you just said was about things...but then you'll get to another level where you just want time...to do whatever you want, whenever you want." – John Gafford (70:04)
• On Small Town Life:
  • "You want real Florida? That’s real Florida...That’s Baja Georgia, man. That ain’t Florida." – Cody & John (05:08)
• On Family Stories & Keeping Secrets:
  • "My favorite story about my dad…[he] was standing there munching on potato chips like an idiot, as Jack Nicklaus missed a putt, and Jack turned and looked at him like he wanted to murder him." – John (36:04)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:30 — Cody describes growing up in Mount Washington, Kentucky
• 09:39 — Navigating life as both a jock and band kid, feeling out of place
• 22:11 — Driving 14 hours to New York for band rehearsals/tours
• 31:45 — Deciding to say yes to wild musical opportunities; perspective on risk
• 34:47 — Sharing family stories and John’s infamous insurance fraud anecdote
• 47:52 — The grind of metalcore: four jobs just to eat while on tour
• 64:21 — How Cody got the Jelly Roll gig—and the mullet connection
• 65:33 — What "making it" means to Cody
• 70:04 — Host and guest discuss the nature of success, “time” over material things
• 73:28 — Cody’s 10-year vision and future creative/business ambitions

Tone & Takeaways

The episode is candid, irreverent, and motivational—full of real talk about sacrifice, the role of community, the unpredictability of music careers, and the value of saying yes to life's “adventures.” Cody’s story is a masterclass in perseverance, humility, and the power of both grinding and serendipity.

Listeners are left with a powerful core lesson:

"If you're faced with an opportunity, don't pigeonhole the decision-making into a win or loss. Chase it for the sheer adventure of adventure’s sake." – John Gafford (closing remarks, 76:41)

For more: Escaping the Drift Website