[1] Prior to joining Better Than Ezra in January 1996, McNabb toured with acts such as Vigilantes of Love, Beggars, and seminal Oregon-based punk rock band The Wipers.
After finishing this stint, McNabb began several years of session and touring work with acts such as Vigilantes of Love, Billy Pilgrim, Shawn Mullins, and the Indigo Girls[6] before joining Eli Braden, Robert Levon Been, and Jeremy Kunz to form the Beggars.
During this period, guitarist/songwriter Kevin Griffin found himself writing songs for other artists, and bassist Tom Drummond began producing other acts at the band's New Orleans recording facility, Fudge Studios.
Beginning in August 2007, McNabb hit the road with Bush, his partner Jennifer Nettles, and their backing band, playing shows in support of Sugarland's album Enjoy the Ride.
in January 2009, Better Than Ezra made the announcement that McNabb would be leaving the band as a full-time member in order to concentrate on the increasing demands placed on his time due to Sugarland's brisk touring schedule.
In addition, McNabb returned to the band briefly to play a set with Better Than Ezra during the victory party for the NFL's New Orleans Saints upon the team's Super Bowl win in early 2010.
[15] In 2022, McNabb signed on as the drummer for the "Celebrating David Bowie" tribute tour, playing multiple dates as part of an all-star band that also featured Todd Rundgren, Adrian Belew, Royston Langdon of Spacehog, and Fishbone's Angelo Moore.