# Robert Searight

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**Robert** "**Sput**" **Searight** (born March 18, 1975)[1] is an American drummer, composer and producer best known for his work with [jazz fusion](/source/Jazz_fusion) band [Snarky Puppy](/source/Snarky_Puppy) and as co-founder of the percussion-based band [Ghost-Note](/source/Ghost-Note_(band)). His background spans several genres including jazz, funk, hip-hop and gospel. He has toured and recorded with a variety of artists including [Kirk Franklin](/source/Kirk_Franklin), [Snoop Dogg](/source/Snoop_Dogg), [Justin Timberlake](/source/Justin_Timberlake), [Erykah Badu](/source/Erykah_Badu) and [Toto](/source/Toto_(band)). He has received a [Grammy Award](/source/Grammy_Awards) for his production work on the album *[God's Property](/source/God's_Property_from_Kirk_Franklin's_Nu_Nation)*.

## Life and career

Searight was born and raised in [Dallas, Texas](/source/Dallas,_Texas).[2] He grew up in a musical family with a variety of instruments in his childhood home.[3] His mother, Linda Searight, was an operatic singer and music teacher.[4][5] He received his first [drum kit](/source/Drum_kit) at the age of five and started playing drums. He grew up listening to gospel music exclusively, but that changed at age eight with access to a diverse library of [vinyl](/source/Phonograph_record) albums. He started taking music lessons in junior high school and, later, attended [Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts](/source/Booker_T._Washington_High_School_for_the_Performing_and_Visual_Arts), where he played piano and received his first exposure to improvisation in the arts.[3][4] He names gospel drummer Joel Smith as his biggest early influence.[3]

In 1992, while in high school, Searight and his mother Linda founded the gospel choir [God's Property](/source/God's_Property).[6] He studied jazz-piano and drums in junior college and then attended [University of North Texas](/source/University_of_North_Texas) and majored in percussion.[2] Soon after, in 1997, God's Property and [Kirk Franklin](/source/Kirk_Franklin) collaborated to produce the eponymous album *[God's Property](/source/God's_Property_from_Kirk_Franklin's_Nu_Nation),* for which Searight won a [Grammy](/source/Grammy_Awards) award in the category [Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album](/source/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Gospel_Choir_or_Chorus_Album).[6][7] He started touring extensively in support of the album and settled in Los Angeles.[4] There, he worked as a drummer and producer with a variety of artists, including [Snoop Dogg](/source/Snoop_Dogg), [Justin Timberlake](/source/Justin_Timberlake), [Kendrick Lamar](/source/Kendrick_Lamar) and [Timbaland](/source/Timbaland).[2][4]

In mid-2000s Searight moved back to Dallas and performed in the Dallas R&B-gospel music scene, working with [Erykah Badu](/source/Erykah_Badu), [Tamela Mann](/source/Tamela_Mann), [The Clark Sisters](/source/The_Clark_Sisters) and others.[4][8] In weekly jam sessions he met members of the jazz fusion band [Snarky Puppy](/source/Snarky_Puppy), at the time a Dallas-based band.[2][3] Around 2006, he joined Snarky Puppy, first as a keyboardist and then as a drummer.[8][3] He has received three Grammys with the ensemble.[9][a] In 2014, Searight and Snarky Puppy percussionist Nate Werth founded [Ghost-Note](/source/Ghost-Note_(band)), a percussion-based [funk](/source/Funk)-[hip hop](/source/Hip_hop_music)-[jazz](/source/Jazz) band. He has released three albums with Ghost-Note, *Fortified* in 2015, *Swagism* in 2018, and *Mustard n' Onions* in 2024.[10] From 2020 to 2023, he joined [Toto](/source/Toto_(band)) as the band's drummer and toured with the band.[11]

## Discography

**[God's Property](/source/God's_Property)**

- *[God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation](/source/God's_Property_from_Kirk_Franklin's_Nu_Nation)* (1997)

**[Ghost-Note](/source/Ghost-Note_(band))**

- *Fortified* (2015)
- *Swagism* (2018)
- *Mustard n' Onions* (2024)

**With [Snarky Puppy](/source/Snarky_Puppy)**

- *[Bring Us the Bright](/source/Bring_Us_the_Bright)* (2008)
- *[Tell Your Friends](/source/Tell_Your_Friends_(Snarky_Puppy_album))* (2010)
- *[GroundUP](/source/GroundUP_(album))* (2012)
- *[Family Dinner – Volume 1](/source/Family_Dinner_%E2%80%93_Volume_1)* (2013)
- *[Sylva](/source/Sylva_(Snarky_Puppy_album))* with [Metropole Orkest](/source/Metropole_Orkest) (2015)
- *[Family Dinner – Volume 2](/source/Family_Dinner_%E2%80%93_Volume_2)* (2016)
- *[Culcha Vulcha](/source/Culcha_Vulcha)* (2016)

**With [Toto](/source/Toto_(band))**

- *With a Little Help from My Friends* (2021)

**With others**

- *Live in Concert* (2001) with **[Kim Burrell](/source/Kim_Burrell)**
- *[Dorinda Clark Cole](/source/Dorinda_Clark-Cole_(album))* (2002) with **[Dorinda Clark-Cole](/source/Dorinda_Clark-Cole)**
- *[Out the Box](/source/Out_the_Box_(Ton%C3%A9x_album))* (2004) with **[Tonéx](/source/Ton%C3%A9x)**

**Session and production credits** *selected works*[12]

Artist Album Kirk Franklin The Flight of My Life (2007) Hello Fear (2011) Losing My Religion (2015) Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) Shaun Martin 7 Summers (2015) Focus (2018) Bill Laurance Aftersun (2016) Terrace Martin Velvet Portraits (2016) Drones (2021) Kamasi Washington Heaven & Earth (2018) Myron Butler & Levi Set Me Free (2005) Stronger (2007) Revealed (2010) Tamela Mann Gotta Keep Movin (2005) The Live Experience (2007) The Master Plan (2009) Best Days (2012) Marvin Sapp You Shall Live (2015) Close (2017) Ted Winn Stand in Awe (2017)

## Notes

1. Searight is credited for Grammy Awards for the song "[Something](/source/Family_Dinner_%E2%80%93_Volume_1)" and albums *[Sylva](/source/Sylva_(Snarky_Puppy_album))* and *[Culcha Vulcha](/source/Culcha_Vulcha)*.

## References

1. ["Robert "Sput" Searight Songs, Albums, Reviews,..."](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/robert-sput-searight-mn0000663103). *AllMusic*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241203043418/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/robert-sput-searight-mn0000663103) December 3, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 21, 2024.

1. Ken Micallef (April 2013). ["Snarky Puppy's Robert 'Sput' Searight"](https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/april-2013-snarky-puppys-robert-sput-searight/). *[Modern Drummer](/source/Modern_Drummer)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200812043747/https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/april-2013-snarky-puppys-robert-sput-searight/) August 12, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022.

1. Alain Merville (April 22, 2020). [*Legendary Musician Opens Up About His Life Experiences (Robert 'Sput' Searight interview)*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbXRwWE2JoI) (Video). Yousicplay.com. pp. 1:15–2:12, 3:05–4:15, 7:55–9:15, 11:40–11:50, 23:45–26:20. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220515202527/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbXRwWE2JoI) May 15, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022. – via YouTube.

1. [Nick D'Virgilio](/source/Nick_D'Virgilio) (March 20, 2018). [*Interview: Robert 'Sput' Searight of Snarky Puppy*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x57vGzrMv00) (Video). [Sweetwater](/source/Sweetwater_Sound). pp. 7:25–9:00, 9:50–12:10, 14:47–15:25, 16:40–17:10. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220515202552/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x57vGzrMv00) May 15, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022. – via YouTube.

1. ["New Arts Six – The Ensemble"](https://www.newartssix.org/the-ensemble.html). newartssix.org. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220331110607/https://www.newartssix.org/the-ensemble.html) March 31, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022.

1. Steve Leggett. ["AllMusic: God's Property – biography"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gods-property-mn0000951187/biography). AllMusic. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220501120204/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gods-property-mn0000951187/biography) May 1, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022.

1. ["Grammy Awards: Robert Searight II"](https://www.grammy.com/artists/robert-searight-ii/12461). grammy.com. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220515202520/https://www.grammy.com/artists/robert-searight-ii/12461) May 15, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022.

1. Ken Micallef (November 2015). ["Robert 'Sput' Searight"](https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/november-2015-robert-sput-searight/). *Modern Drummer*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200808095340/https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/november-2015-robert-sput-searight/) August 8, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022.

1. ["Grammy Awards: Snarky Puppy"](https://www.grammy.com/artists/snarky-puppy/18240). grammy.com. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220505014536/https://www.grammy.com/artists/snarky-puppy/18240) May 5, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022.

1. Matt Collar. ["AllMusic: Ghost-Note – biography"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ghost-note-mn0000700375/biography). AllMusic. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190402015544/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ghost-note-mn0000700375/biography) April 2, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2022.

1. Toto 2020 to 2023: *Jeremy Hallock (October 20, 2020). ["Toto adds Dallas drummer Robert 'Sput' Searight to its lineup"](https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/music/2020/10/20/toto-adds-dallas-drummer-robert-sput-searight-to-its-lineup/). *[The Dallas Morning News](/source/The_Dallas_Morning_News)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211118194739/https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/music/2020/10/20/toto-adds-dallas-drummer-robert-sput-searight-to-its-lineup/) November 18, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 16, 2022. *Buddy Iahn (November 30, 2021). ["TOTO announces Dogz of Oz World Tour 2022"](https://themusicuniverse.com/toto-announces-dogz-oz-world-tour-2022/). *themusicuniverse*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211202003438/https://themusicuniverse.com/toto-announces-dogz-oz-world-tour-2022/) December 2, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 19, 2022. *Alan Sculley (February 7, 2023). ["TOTO: Back together for tour, grateful for new fans"](https://www.connectsavannah.com/music-and-clubs/toto-back-together-for-tour-grateful-for-new-fans-19885983). *connectsavannah*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240516010047/https://www.connectsavannah.com/music-and-clubs/toto-back-together-for-tour-grateful-for-new-fans-19885983) May 16, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 15, 2024.

1. ["AllMusic: Robert 'Sput' Searight – credits"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/robert-sput-searight-mn0000663103/credits). AllMusic. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220518010646/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/robert-sput-searight-mn0000663103/credits) May 18, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 17, 2022.

## External links

- [Robert Searight](https://twitter.com/sputacular) on Twitter
- [Snarky Puppy drummers: Interview and gear](https://web.archive.org/web/20200807214000/https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/september-2016-snarkypuppys-holy-trinity/), *[Modern Drummer](/source/Modern_Drummer)* magazine, 2016

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robert Searight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Searight) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Searight?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.