Eric Darken

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Eric Darken

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| genre = Rock, country

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = Percussion

| years_active = 1991–present

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| website = {{URL|ericdarken.com}}

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Eric A. Darken is an American percussionist, composer, and programmer.

Biography

Drawing inspiration from his grandfather, a band leader. Darken began playing drums at age 12, and played timpani and mallets in high school. Darken attended Brevard College in Brevard, North Carolina, then transferred to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Darken was also a part of the ORTV Richard Roberts television show.{{cite web |url=http://playmusicforaliving.blogspot.com/2012/04/eric-darken-interview.html|title=Eric Darken Interview|work=Play Music For A Living|access-date=October 30, 2017|author=Mark Shelton|date=April 17, 2012}}

Darken has participated in recording sessions for Bon Jovi, Jewel, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Swift.{{cite book |last=Perone|first=James E.|date=2017|title=The Words and Music of Taylor Swift|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XXtDMQAACAAJ|access-date=October 30, 2017|isbn=9781440852947}}

Darken has toured in support of Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Faith Hill, Take 6, and Bob Seger.{{cite web |url=http://www.vintageguitar.com/3350/bob-seger-face-the-promise/|title=Bob Seger: Face The Promise|work=Vintage Guitar|access-date=November 2, 2017|author=Dan Forte|date=January 1, 2007}} Darken toured with Jimmy Buffett and The Coral Reefer Band up until Buffett’s death in September 2023.{{cite web |url=http://triblive.com/aande/music/11023076-74/buffett-song-tuesday|title=Review: No matter the day, fans delight in Buffett show in Burgettstown|work=Tribune-Review|access-date=October 30, 2017|author=Vaunda Bonnett|date=August 24, 2016}}

Darken has written underscores for TV shows, including Dateline NBC, 20/20, Fox Sports, Discovery Channel, NFL Network, and National Geographic, and for the film, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Darken created percussion samples and loops for various digital collections, including the Organic Percussion library of samples, loops, and presets, and the Eric Darken collection for Discrete Drums.{{cite web |url=http://www.emusician.com/gear/1332/2006-editors-choice/36020|title=2006 Editors Choice|work=Electronic Musician|access-date=November 2, 2017|author=staff|date=January 1, 2006}}

In 2008, Darken won an Academy of Country Music award for Musician of the Year in the "Specialty Instrument" category.{{cite web |url=http://www.cmt.com/acm-awards/2008.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022081327/http://www.cmt.com/acm-awards/2008.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 22, 2014|title=CAM Awards: 2008|work=CMT|access-date=November 2, 2017}}

Darken won the Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Instrumental Album Of The Year in 1996.

Darken's first solo album, A Drummer Boy's Christmas, was a jazz Christmas album released in 1993. It was reviewed positively by the Chicago Tribune, whose Nancy Stetson said that it "shows the genre at its best" and "there is nothing cute or gimmicky".{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/241389594/ | title=Seasonal sellers | work=Chicago Tribune | date=December 23, 1993 | access-date=November 25, 2019 | author=Nancy Stetson | pages=11A}} Cashbox magazine also reviewed the album with favor, stating that it "is sure to be a favorite in living rooms and store stereos alike with classic- yet-pop-inflected interpretations of your favorites. There's even a few new tunes to make this album worth a second look."{{cite journal | url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/90s/1993/CB-1993-12-11-OCR-Page-0028.pdf | title=Contemporary Christian | journal=Cashbox | pages=28 | date=December 11, 1993}}