Today we’d like to introduce you to Calvin Martin Jr.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started playing drums at a small church in Gary, Indiana, at the age of 2. From then on, I was completely engulfed with the idea of making music. In 2002, when “Drumline,” the movie was released, I immediately developed a vision for my life. I knew I wanted to go to college and be the leader of the drumline. In December of 2009, my dream came true, and I received a marching band scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. I served as the section leader of U.A.P.B.’s drumline from 2011 to 2013. In the Fall of 2013, I graduated with a degree in Music Performance with a minor in General Business. After working locally for a few years as a Music Educator and Performer, I decided to catapult my professional music career.
I left the state of Arkansas to return to my hometown, Chicago, with a plan to save enough money to launch my professional music career in Los Angeles. In the midst of my transition, I started “P.E.A.C.E. Band,” a musical collective focused on telling stories of the times. I also founded, “Follow Your Heart’s Beat,” a motivational streetwear brand to encourage creatives to follow their dreams. While I wish my creative endeavors were able to fund my living expenses, they did not.
So, I got a job at the University of Chicago, while recording our first E.P., “Illafornia.” Shortly after, I started a GoFundMe account and raised 1,500 dollars to help pay for my education at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood. Although I had already studied music, I wanted to develop my craft further. My time at MI allowed me to create a network of trusted creatives, which I still call friends today.
Being in the same city as many of the drummers I admired, motivated me to take my skills to the next level. So, I inherently began to practice religiously. While doing so, I still had to pay rent. I searched high and low for jobs. To no avail, I took my search to Craigslist and found a job with flexible hours for a catering company delivering food across various parts of L.A. I got to a point where I was tired of struggling, so I took on a second job at L.A.X. I pushed wheelchairs from the ticket counter to the gates for minimum wage and tips. Although I was grateful for a job, I knew it wasn’t for me. In between pushes, I’d daydream about the day when I’d show up to Terminal 3. Not to push wheelchairs, but to be able to travel and play drums.
In July 2018, I flew to Indonesia to perform at the Java Jazz festival! By that time, gigs were coming in regularly, and I was making a decent amount of money. So I did what I thought was the best; I quit my job. I pursued music full time. It wasn’t easy, but I knew it would all be worth it.
Most recently, I had the privilege of opening for the Jonas Brothers on their Happiness Begins tour with Jordan Mcgraw. It was an incredible and life-changing experience. We toured all throughout the United States, Mexico, and Europe. Playing drums on a sold-out arena tour was a dream come true and motivated me to keep moving forward.
Has it been a smooth road?
Choosing to leave my comfortable job in Chicago to pursue music in L.A. professionally was not a smooth road. I drove to L.A. from Chicago. I saved $5,000, assuming that it would cover my necessities for 3 or 4 months. I’ve never seen money disappear so quickly. My car broke down each day while traveling for three days to get to Los Angeles. I spent nearly $1,000 in car repairs, and I couldn’t find an apartment when I arrived. I bounced around from one cheap hotel to the next for about three weeks. I remember staying at a hotel in downtown L.A., where I had to pay $20 a day to park, and they had community showers smaller than a fitting room in a clothing store. Eventually, I found an apartment, and slowly but surely began to make an imprint on L.A.’s music scene. It was challenging trying to maintain my livelihood while establishing myself in a field in a brand new city. I also experienced being homeless for three months. I’ve faced many obstacles In L.A., but I’m proud to say that I’ve overcome every single one.
Please tell us about P.E.A.C.E. Band & Follow Your Heart’s Beat.
P.E.A.C.E. stands for Performers Embody Artistic Creative Energy. We specialize in making music for the soul, performing live, and making people feel good. I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve never made excuses or felt sorry for ourselves. No matter what challenge we’re presented with, we always find a solution to make things happen.
I believe it is our intentions that set us apart. We want to bring peace to our listeners and one day to the world. We want people to hear our music and feel a sense of hope and inspiration.
Follow Your Heart’s Beat (F.Y.H.B.) is a motivational streetwear brand that awakens the dreamer in everyone. Being a haven of inspiration, passion, and motivation, F.Y.H.B. reminds creatives everywhere to follow their dreams. The birth of Follow Your Heart’s Beat began in 2015, as a fundraiser to finance Calvin Martin Jr.’s journey from Chicago to Los Angeles. Calvin wanted to build a brand that reminds its supporters that staying inspired while following their dreams is a necessary component for success. Everyone has their own heartbeat. Their own passion and their own dream – F.Y.H.B. is a constant reminder to follow it.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
This quarantine has forced musicians to take their talents to live streaming performances, online lessons, and uploading pre-recorded video content. It was always A thing but now it’s the thing.
Ten years from now, I think being able to create captivating online content will be standard practice for musicians.
Contact Info:
- Website: peaceband.us
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @p.e.a.c.e.band
- Other: www.fyhblife.com
Image Credit:
Angel Willoughby, Karina West, Eric Anthony
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