Chad Smith
Chad Smith is the Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer, a studio collaborator and a drum teacher who helps young musicians get access to instruments and music education.
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Latest
Chad’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- From
- Born in St. Paul, Minnesota; raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
- Instrument
- Drums and percussion.
- Joined the Chili Peppers
- 1988; first appeared on Mother’s Milk in 1989.
- Breakout
- Blood Sugar Sex Magik brought the band breakthrough radio success in 1991.
Mini bio
How it started.
Before the arenas, Chad played on ice cream buckets. His family introduced him to music, and school music programs gave him a place to grow. Raised near Detroit, he went on to play local clubs and bands before moving to California.
Finding his band.
He joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1988 and made his first album with them on Mother’s Milk. Blood Sugar Sex Magik followed in 1991, bringing “Give It Away” and “Under the Bridge” to a much wider audience. His drums have remained part of the band’s sound through Californication and Stadium Arcadium.
Beyond the Chili Peppers.
Chad also plays in Chickenfoot and the instrumental group Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats. His studio work reaches across genres, with collaborators including Ozzy Osbourne, Post Malone, Elton John, Miley Cyrus and Eddie Vedder. His Drumeo appearances let fans watch him listen, improvise and explain his choices at the kit.
Passing it on.
In 2025 he co-founded the Chad Smith Foundation to help young people access music education. Its work includes scholarships named after his parents and free after-school instruction. His 2026 course Legends of the ’70s shares what he learned from the drummers who shaped his playing.
Creditschronological, newest first
- 2026Legends of the ’70sInstructor, Drumeo/Musora
- 2022Patient Number 9Drums, Ozzy Osbourne
- 2020Ordinary ManDrums and co-writing, Ozzy Osbourne
- 2006Stadium ArcadiumDrums, Red Hot Chili Peppers
- 1999CalifornicationDrums, Red Hot Chili Peppers
- 1991Blood Sugar Sex MagikDrums, Red Hot Chili Peppers
- 1989Mother’s MilkDrums, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Awards
- 2025 Drumeo Awards: Drum Performance of the YearShared with Travis Barker and Danny Carey; announced January 31, 2026.
- Rock & Roll Hall of FameInducted with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the Performer category in 2012.
- Six Grammy Awards with the Red Hot Chili PeppersHis foundation’s official biography credits him with six Grammy wins as a member of the band.
Quotes
Music has been my life, and it's given me so much.Chad Smith, Chad Smith Foundation launch announcement
He said this while explaining why he wanted to expand opportunities for young musicians when the foundation launched in August 2025.
Trivia
- His first makeshift drums were ice cream buckets, according to his foundation’s account of his childhood.
- Both of his parents attended the University of Minnesota, where his foundation established its first scholarship.
- His Legends of the ’70s course focuses on John Bonham, Ian Paice, Bill Ward and Keith Moon.
- His Paiste setup includes a custom 50-inch symphonic gong.
Find Chad
Follow his drumming, collaborations and music education projects.
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