Biography

Matthew Chamberlain (born April 17, 1967) is an American session musician, drummer, producer and songwriter. He has played with various artists, including Pearl Jam, David Bowie, Tori Amos, The Wallflowers, Elton John, Lisa Marie Presley, Brandi Carlile, Garbage, and Macy Gray. Chamberlain was born in San Pedro, California on April 17, 1967. He began learning how to play the drums at 15 years old, taking lessons with David Garibaldi from the band Tower of Power. He attended North Texas State's music program, leaving after less than a year. After leaving college, he moved to Dallas, Texas and played with multiple bands, often taking on small gigs.While in Texas, he was hired to play drums on tour with Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, and he recorded two records with the band before they broke up in 1991. At the time of hiring, Chamberlain was living next door to their bass player, Brad Houser.He was the second drummer of the band Pearl Jam and played with them for about three weeks in the summer of 1991. He was in their music video for their song "Alive."During the 1991 and 1992 season, he was a drummer for the house band of Saturday Night Live.Along with Skerik, Brad Houser and Mike Dillon, he co-created the jazz-fusion band Critters Buggin.He has played with David Bowie, Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Fiona Apple, The Wallflowers, Macy Gray, Natalie Merchant, Tori Amos, Garbage and others.In 2016, 2019 and 2021, he won Modern Drummer magazine's readers poll in the Studio Musician category. In 2014 he filled in for drummer Matt Cameron in Soundgarden. He played over 51 shows with them through South America, Europe and a co-headlining tour with Nine Inch Nails in the United States.

He was the Music Director for More Music @ The Moore Theatre Seattle, Washington, in 2019 and 2020.

Chamberlain joined Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour in 2019 and played on his 2020 release Rough and Rowdy Ways. He was succeeded by Charley Drayton when Dylan resumed touring at the end of 2021.