Ryan Dusick

Ryan Dusick

Ryan Michael Dusick (born September 19, 1977) is the former and original drummer of American pop rock band Maroon 5.  Dusick is the grandson of Jack Dusick and cousin of David Farentino. He attended Brentwood School and UCLA.

In 1994, Ryan Dusick joined friends Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael and Mickey Madden, whom he met in French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts, to form the band Kara's Flowers.

The quartet scored a record deal with Reprise Records. In 1997, the band released an album titled The Fourth World. That same year the band appeared on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. The album had little success, and its only single, "Soap Disco", failed commercially. Due to the album's mediocre success Reprise released the band from their contract.

Following the termination of their deal, the band went on hiatus and everyone went their separate ways.

In 2001, Dusick reunited with Levine, Madden and Carmichael. This time, they were joined by former Square guitarist James Valentine. The group changed their name to Maroon 5 and set to work writing new songs that owned a fresh groove-based element dissimilar from their previous songs, with tracks mostly inspired by one of Levine's failed relationships. The band scored a new deal with Octone Records and in June 2002, they released the album Songs About Jane.

The band scored several hit singles. At the 47th Grammy Awards in 2005, the band was named Best New Artist. The next year, they won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the live version of "This Love". The quintet toured constantly in support of the record. However, the constant performing proved to be detrimental to Dusick, who wound up hurting his arm so badly from the continuous shows that he was forced to stop playing in late 2004. As he temporarily sat out to undergo tests and attempt to heal, Maroon 5 continued their heavy touring regime with musicians such as Ryland Steen (former drummer of Square and current member of Reel Big Fish) and Josh Day taking Dusick's place behind the drum kit.

Matt Flynn officially replaced Ryan Dusick in September 2006 (Flynn had already been Maroon 5's touring drummer from 2004 to 2006), although Dusick was credited as the "Musical Director" in the liner notes of the band's second studio album It Won't Be Soon Before Long, which was released in 2007.