Lisa Pankratz

Drummer Lisa Pankratz was born in Austin and raised in Dripping Springs, TX. While still in high school she began performing with her father’s reggae band I-TEX and appeared on Austin City Limits with a reunited version of her uncle's band, Greezy Wheels. She also began to meet and play with other young musicians who were on fire for rockabilly, R&B, swing and honky-tonk. Lisa left Austin long enough to earn a BA in English Literature from Rice University in Houston. After this she moved back home and turned her attention exclusively to drumming. When she began touring with legendary Dallas rock and roller Ronnie Dawson in the early 1990’s she found a musical soul mate and established a national reputation as both a solid and exciting drummer.
Back home she landed consistently in music poll lists of top drummers and was sought out by acts who wanted their country to shuffle with soul and their rock to have some swing in the beat. Some of the artists who have called on Lisa's versatile drumming skills include Ronnie Dawson, The Derailers, Rosie Flores, Robbie Fulkes, Toni Price, Dale Watson, Deke Dickerson, Marti Brom, Roger Wallace, Bill Kirchen, Billy Joe Shaver, Hayes Carll and Dave Alvin. She has performed on Austin City Limits, the Conan O'Brien show, the Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall as well as many festivals and pubs across the USA and Europe. Lisa has incorporated singing and songwriting into her repertoire in recent years. Susanna Van Tassel and Marti Brom have both recorded original songs penned by Pankratz. She is married to bassist Brad Fordham and, when not on tour, remains one of the busiest musicians in Austin.
".arguably the only roots rock drummer who has mastered the country technique of being simultaneously right there and barely noticeable."
John Morthland, Texas Monthly Magazine.