Striking the right chord: Inspiring the next generation of Salinas’ musicians

The 2018 Grammys are nearly upon us, and for the first time, the music awards show will be broadcast from New York instead of Los Angeles.

It’s all about the best in the music business, and all those people who are up for awards started somewhere. Every Grammy award winner has to start somewhere; why not somewhere like Salinas?
We got a chance to talk with a few local music lovers and instructors on the importance of music.

From Grammy award winning artists to local music teachers, every musician was somehow inspired to pick up their instrument.

“Well my dad was a guitar player. Played in a lot of bands, he was a great guitar player,” said Wise Music Owner, Pete Wise.

“My older brother was playing music so he kind of got me and my other brother into it,” said Wise Music Instructor, Robert Tovar.

“My dad was a drummer, so my earliest memories were me crawling into a drum set,” said Salinas High School Music Director, Micah Cabaccang.

For some, music is much more than just learning to play an instrument.

“To me, it is the most important thing. I’ll wake up in the morning and think what should I play right now?” said Wise.

“Music actually, in a way, kept me out of trouble, and it kept me going to school because I had a music class,” said Tovar.

In fact it’s so important and powerful in world history that at times, it was kept away from the people.

“It was not allowed in some countries because it was so powerful to influence you as a human being, because when you hear certain music, you get this emotional response to it,” said Cabaccang.

“Music can be used for so many different things such as expressing emotions, telling a story, or even finishing a joke,” said KION Reporter Matt Sizemore.

“It’s very self-fulfilling. It was my dream sophomore year to be a teacher,” said Cabaccang.

While some knew they wanted to spread the gift of music early, others went about it a different way.

“Teaching was kind of an accident. I always had a dream of becoming rich and famous…so I started teaching and it started going pretty well. I started getting a lot of students and they kept coming back and I started getting more and I realized I was pretty good at it,” said Tovar.

Students like Galilea.

“Music is my passion and that’s why I come here so I can be myself. I just have a dream of being in music in the future,” said Singer and Music Student Galilea.

That’s exactly why teachers like Micah and Robert do what they do.

“I don’t have any kids yet in my life, but that feels like something like that, what I would imagine. It is…very proud, yeah,” said Tovar.

Every Grammy winner will tell you where their music journey started. For these teachers and students, their journey started in Salinas.

“The Grammys are great but I think the grassroots here are where it’s more fun in teach the kids, and if the kids become big successful musicians, that’s great, but most of the kids who have taken lessons here over the years are successful. In one way or another. Not just in music, I think it really helps them to have something positive like this to look forward to.and come in and work on and practice on and talk about. I think it’s a great thing,” said Wise.

A big thank you to Wise Music and Salinas High School for sharing some of their music journeys with us. Their students play shows and events all over Salinas so make sure to check them out when you can. The Grammys will air right here on KION CBS on Sunday. James Corden will host the 60th Annual Grammy’s. You’ll have two chances to watch at 4:30 p.m. with a repeat at 8 o’clock. Our 11 o’clock news will start a half hour late at 11:30.