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Drummer Tommy Harden has come a long way from banging on pots and pans with huge soup spoons in his parents’ kitchen.

The Greensboro native has been drumming for country singer Reba McEntire since 2001, and he will entertain a hometown crowd when McEntire’s tour stops at the Greensboro Coliseum tonight .

Harden, who graduated from Southern Guilford High School in 1983, said he’s excited to play in Greensboro because he loves and misses the place where he grew up.

“I don’t get to play Greensboro very often,” Harden said. “I get excited because I get to go to Stamey’s (Barbecue).”

Harden moved to Nashville, Tenn., in 1991, where he performed with country artists such as Ricky Skaggs. In 2001, a friend called him about touring with McEntire for a few weeks, but he was hesitant to leave his recording studio work.

“At the same time, this was Reba McEntire, so I decided to take a chance and do it,” Harden said.

After the tour, Harden went back to the studio while McEntire focused on her self-titled television show. But two years later, McEntire contacted him about playing with her again, and they have been touring together ever since.

“She’s nice to all of us,” Harden said. “She never talks down to anybody. We just love her. We want to support her and make her feel like she has an amazing band behind her.”

When he’s not touring or recording, Harden spends time at his home in Ashland City, Tenn., with his wife Lorrie , six children ranging in age from 2 to 15, and two “ginormous” dogs.

“Needless to say, our house is pretty insane at any given time,” Harden said.

In addition to maintaining their boisterous household, Harden and his wife are also partners in songwriting.

McEntire recorded two of their songs on her album “Reba Duets” — “Everyday People” with Carole King and “Sleeping with the Telephone” with Faith Hill.

After spending time at home, Harden said he is usually ready to go back on the road with McEntire. On average, they play 30 to 40 shows a year.

“Sometimes it’s good to get out on the road so I can rest,” Harden said. “With six kids, I don’t get a lot of rest at home. Sometimes I can actually get a nap out here.”

Harden has been drumming since age 6 when his parents bought him his first drum set. Growing up, his drum teacher was the father of another Greensboro-based musician — drummer Joey Barnes of Daughtry.

When his music teacher at Southern Guilford told him he could take his drumming as far as he wanted to, Harden said it changed his life.

“It really helped motivate me along the way because making a living in the music business is very challenging,” Harden said.

Harden also learned about music through the Maranatha Church he attended. “It was basically a nondenominational group of hippies, and there were three or four bands that came out of this church,” Harden said. “It was full of musicians. I used to follow them around like a puppy.”

Harden attributes his influences in Greensboro as leading to his success touring and recording in Nashville.

He and the rest of McEntire’s band will tour with George Strait through April before resuming their normal tour schedule. McEntire and the band will tour sporadically throughout the rest of the year, including stints in Ireland and Switzerland in the fall.

“In the studio you’re playing for the song, but on stage you’re playing for the audience,” Harden said. “I feel blessed because I get to do both.”

Contact Alexa Milan at 373-7120 or alexandra.milan@news-record.com