Alabama drummer wins $25K, brand endorsement at national competition
Reading time: 3 minutes
Alabama drummer Jonathan Fortson has officially claimed the title of Drum-Off 2026 Champion.
Fortson, who lives in Hamilton, stood out among more than 2600 contestants in this year’s national competition hosted by Guitar Center. The National Finale was held Aug. 20 at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood.
As the champion, Fortson took home the grand prize including:
- $25,000
- Brand endorsement opportunity
- Pro-level drum, hardware + cymbal setup
- Roland electronic drum kit
- Trip to Drumeo HQ to create original content
“Winning Guitar Center’s Drum-Off is an answered prayer. I entered as a teenager and never made it past the district round, so when a friend told me more than a decade later that Drum-Off was coming back and ‘this is your year,’ I knew I had to give it another shot. To come back all these years later and be standing here as the Drum-Off Champion is crazy.”
Jonathan Fortson
Who is Jonathan Fortson?
Fortson, who is originally from Georgia, is a professional drummer, musician and teacher based in Hamilton, Alabama, who began playing drums at age two and has spent 33 years behind the kit.
His drumming talents have taken him on tour through all 50 states and 13 total countries. Fortson currently serves as a full-time staff musician and teacher at The Ramp church in Hamilton.
Fortson had previously entered the competition as a teenager but never made it to the national stage until the competition returned in 2026.
We celebrate our brother (Jonathan Fortson) on his WIN at the Guitar Center National Drum-Off! Out of over 2,600 submissions, he took home the win in Hollywood! He’s a man of God who, for years, has shown faithfulness to the Lord, love for his family, and is a one-of-a-kind musician who is inspiring a nation and we are honored to have him a part of our team!”
The Ramp on social media
Guitar Center said Fortson impressed judges with his showmanship, flawless fluidity and ability to make technically difficult playing look effortless.
The Guitar Center Drum-Off returns after decade hiatus
The Drum-Off competition first launched in 1988, drawing more than 100,000 participants over its first 28 years.
The show helped provide an early platform for drummers including:
- Tony Royster Jr. (Jay-Z, Katy Perry)
- Cora Coleman-Dunham (Prince, Beyoncé)
- Thomas Pridgen (The Mars Volta)
- Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper)
- Ilan Rubin (Nine Inch Nails, Foo Fighters)
The road to the Fonda Theatre began in May, when drummers visited Guitar Center stores nationwide to record and submit original three-minute auditions. Competitors advanced through District Finals at 24 Guitar Center locations and Regional Finals in Hollywood, Nashville and New York City.
The competition returned this year with more than 2,600 submissions nationwide before being narrowed to just six finalists for the big show in Hollywood.
With a panel full of famous judges, Fortson had to play in front of some of the biggest names in the industry including:
- John Stamos (The Beach Boys)
- Tré Cool (Green Day)
- Adrian Young (No Doubt)
- Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails)
- Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine)
- Alex González (Maná)
- Jay Weinberg (Slipknot)
“Every day across America thousands of incredible undiscovered musicians are grinding away, working their tails off to perfect their craft. It’s our mission at Guitar Center to shine a spotlight on those musicians and Drum-Off gives great drummers a national spotlight. Today Jonathan stepped into that spotlight and knocked our socks off.”
Gabe Dalporto, CEO of Guitar Center
