Today we’d like to introduce you to Colin Wolfe.
Hi Colin, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Los Angeles in 1968 and only after a year or two, we moved up to Santa Barbara, where a majority of my family lives. While my mom was away at work, my brother and I was dropped off at my Aunt’s house where my two blind twin cousins would babysit us. They were both musicians at the time and to help past the time, they would try to teach my brother songs on the piano, I guess they thought I was too young. After an hour or two and me out of boredom, would fall asleep underneath a desk they exhausted their attempts trying to teach him. Once they all cleared the room, I would hop on the piano and teach myself what they were trying to teach him, and this marked the beginning of my music career. We then moved to Jamaica for a year to try to resume a family with my dad but irreconcilable differences outweighed the love that once was, so we moved back to the states by way of Los Angeles to be closer with my Grandparents. Once I was enrolled in school, my musical journey was on its way. After the piano, I then moved to drums, trumpet, French horn, guitar, and last but not least, the bass. In the 6th grade, I was the president of the elementary school (Baldwin Hills) and I invited my friends to play a concert during lunchtime on Halloween. I wasn’t a bass player yet, I had never picked up a bass but they asked me to play the bass on Day Tripper.
Two years after that moment, I was doing professional gigs, first with inner city cultural center, a summer program for youth and adults where we put on musical plays. Each year thereafter, my gigs got better and I landed myself a side gig backing up and artist while I was attending UCLA at a renowned Hollywood venue called The China Club. During the performance, and as I was doing a bass solo, through these Big double doors, in comes the whole Ruthless Records Posse….Eazy E, Jerry Heller, L.A. Dre, and Dr. Dre. They happened to be looking for a bass player to tour with their artist at the time Michel’Le, which I gladly accepted which sparked a working relationship with Dr. Dre. Once the tour ended, I went into the studio with Dr. Dre to work on projects such as N.W.A., The Deep Cover soundtrack and the infamous The Chronic Album. After a few years, I then moved to Atlanta to pursue other music adventures. I linked up with Dallas Austin and his camp and worked on such artists like Monica, N’Dea Davenport, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Madonna just to name a few. Once the momentum slowed down in Atlanta in 1999, I then moved back to Los Angeles. Since the time I moved back, I’ve worked with a few artists but making home base at BeaconStreet Studios in Venice, California. BeaconStreet started off as a Jingle house for T.V. and film but has expanded to working with Artist as well. I’m currently working on a project called SOUND. with new music coming out every month and all streaming platforms
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it hasn’t always been a smooth road. Once we returned from Jamaica and was residing in Los Angeles, we would travel up to Santa Barbara for all of the major holidays and most of the summer. Being a single mom, we didn’t have much money and lived in an apartment. The only time I was able to play on any kind of instrument when I was between 4-9 was when we went up to Santa Barbara and I would spend most of my time with cousins where the instruments were at. One of my cousins gave me a drum set but because we lived in an apartment, I was only able to bring home one drum. Eventually, the rest of the drum set got sold unbeknownst to me, for years I would go up there looking for the drum set until they finally told me after several years that it was sold at a garage sale. Unfortunately back in Jamaica, my dad passed away when I was eight years old and four years later, my mom passed away as well, therefore residing with my Grand Parents in Baldwin Hills. My brother and I were close at one time but as time passed on, we sort of grew apart. I usually stayed home on the weekends to practice or run in various races while he was out having fun with his friends. Music was the one thing that kept me out of the streets and sane and is still the same thing that keeps my breathing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
What I do is Production, as a music producer it’s up to you to help shape the life of a song. That could be in part of music or lyric and melody direction. A song could start with bass line, a drumbeat or a melody but seeing it to completion is the role of the producer. Coming up with the musicla direction came easier to me than the lyrics. I had a lot of success in that area working with acts such as N.W.A, Dr. Dre (The Chronic), Madonna, N’ Dea Davenport, Monica, Sammie, and Too Short just to name a few. What sets me apart from others is coming up with wicked bass lines, like the bass line in the soundtrack song ” Deep Cover ” performed by Dr. Dre and Snoop.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’ve had some success and have acquired many plaques to show for it, but I’m never satisfied. I’m still always trying to grow and learn as much as I can. I was always able to come up with musical parts for songs we were working on, but I wanted to expand as a songwriter, a lyricist. I was a bit shy, mostly in my own head hearing music and melodies so I didn’t talk much but was always concerned about what other people thought of me. A bad place to be in, that’s why it was hard for me to write lyrics. Once I got over that and was comfortable with my individuality, I was able to start to speak my mind and also live vicariously through others to have stories to tell.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: CWolfe86
- Facebook: colin.wolfe1
- Twitter: CWolfe68
- Youtube: Colin Wolfe
Image Credits:
Photos provided by Brian Vu, Lexie Hammet, Claudia Rosario, and Ken Medillo
