A respected musician who's played alongside names like Kellie Pickler and Lady Antebellum was hospitalized with serious injuries after a four-car crash in central Kentucky.

Gregg Lohman played on some of country music's biggest stages but he was also an educator at Tennessee State University.  

Kentucky state police say Lohman, 36, was driving southbound on I-65 near Elizabethtown when he slowed down near a fatal crash in the northbound lane.

A tractor trailer traveling behind him was not able to stop and slammed into the back of Lohman's vehicle.

The Goodlettsville drummer with close Music City ties was airlifted to the University of Louisville Hospital with head and neck injuries.

He most recently played  drums for Kellie Pickler.  Sunday afternoon, the former American Idol favorite tweeted:

“Gregg is not just my drummer he is family,” and asked her 709,000 followers to keep him in their prayers.

Lohman has also played with Lady Antebellum and many other performers, but when he wasn't touring, he mentored music students at Tennessee State University.

“He's a real inspiration to his students as well as a good teacher,” said Dr. Robert Elliott, head of the school’s music department.

Elliott hired Lohman in 2006 and says the energetic drummer teaches small groups of students to play the drums but also the business side of the music industry.

Elliiott says word of Lohman's accident spread through the campus quickly.
“Our prayers are with Gregg and with his family,” Elliott said.  “I'm sure that our students are thinking the exact same thing.”

Elliot says he doesn't expect Lohman back in the classroom this semester but TSU’s music community is hoping he'll be back as soon as possible.

"I've been in touch with all the faculty members in the department of music at Tennessee State and the outpouring of concern is truly inspiring," Elliott said.

Two people suffered minor injuries in that four-vehicle crash.
Drummer for Kellie Pickler Hospitalized After Crash - Eric Alvarez