Alabama Shakes drummer facing child abuse charges

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — The drummer for Grammy Award-winning rock band Alabama Shakes is in custody on child abuse charges. News outlets report 35-year-old Steven William Johnson was arrested Wednesday after being indicted on charges of willful torture, willful abuse and cruelly beating or otherwise willfully maltreating a child under the age of 18. He’s being held on $21,500 bond at the Limestone County Jail. It was unknown if Johnson has an attorney who could comment on the charges. An arraignment date is set for April 7. The Athens, Alabama-based band has been on hiatus since 2018, when lead singer Brittany Howard decided to focus on her solo project.