Matt Kelly is an American musician from Leominster, Massachusetts. He has been the drummer for the Boston Celtic punk group Dropkick Murphys since May 1997.[1][2][3] Kelly also sings background vocals for the band and has not missed playing a show with the band for 22 years as of 2019.[3]
Gear
Matt's Kelly's drum kit consists of an 8x12 rack, a 14x14, 16x16 floors, and a 20x22 kick. He mostly uses a 6.5x14 snare.[2] His kit is emerald green acrylic, with custom wood badges with Celtic symbols on "claw style wood hoops".[2] Kelly calls these drums "my green precious emeralds."[3] He uses a DW 5000 kick pedal, and Zildjian cymbals.[3]
Kelly was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, one of three children.[4] His father, Ed, was also a drummer and played for the Psych/Garage band Pugsley Munion.[2] Kelly took six years of drumming lessons starting when he was eight years old, with Don Kirby at the Music Box in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.[2][5] He has been married to his wife Liz since 2007.[6]