No surprise that music runs in the Kilgore family
“Just a week before my 17th birthday, my son, Ashton, was born. Having him at an early age wasn’t really scary because I had such a supportive family. And I was really excited about becoming a father.
Jeremy Kilgore hangs out with his son, Ashton, before a show.
“Before Ashton’s mother became pregnant, I got into trouble quite often. Nothing serious. Just typical teenage behavior, I guess. But one day I got this feeling like I had something to lose. In that moment, I decided that I needed to quit putting myself in situations that could potentially take me away from the family I was starting. I was very happy about being a dad.
“Just like I knew as a teenager that I would be a musician, I also knew that one day Ashton would play drums for me. When he was maybe a year old, I sat him in my lap, held a pair of drumsticks in his hands and tried to play the drums. I encouraged him as he grew older to do anything he wanted, as long as it was something productive. He went on to learn guitar and drums. It was just something he had a natural talent for.
“When he was a senior in high school, I told him if he graduated I would start a band with him. So that’s what we did. He got his diploma and we started Tode. Our first show and his first time on stage was opening for a well-known band called Drowning Pool.
“Being a musician has been a roller coaster of fun and excitement. It’s been scary and sad at times. I’ve done a lot and shared the stage with many of my favorite bands, like Bad Company, Fuel, Drowning Pool, Shinedown and Puddle of Mudd. But having Ashton on drums is what highlights it all for me.”
— Jeremy Kilgore
Jeremy’s younger son, Brandon, also plays guitar. In addition to doing solo shows and performing with the alternative rock band, Tode, Jeremy sings for the Pearl Jam tribute band, Lemon Yellow Sun.
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