The Soundtrack of My Life
When People Ask Me When I Started Doing Music…
When people ask me when I started doing music, the truth is, I don’t really remember a beginning. Music has always been there. It has been a constant presence in my life, something I didn’t have to search for because I was born into it.
I come from a family where music wasn’t just something you listened to; it was part of who we were. My father was a professional musician, and music lived in our homes. My grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family all shared a deep appreciation for sound, rhythm, and movement. Family gatherings were filled with music, a lot of dancing, laughter, and connection. Music wasn’t background noise; it was the center of our experiences, the thread that brought everything together.
From an early age, I was surrounded by instruments and musicians. According to family stories, I was present at my father’s practice sessions as a baby and toddler. Before I could fully understand what music was, I was already immersed in it, feeling it, hearing it, and absorbing its energy. In many ways, music became part of my language before I even realized it.
Growing up between Chicago, Detroit, Arkansas, and spending time in Alabama, I was exposed to a wide range of musical styles that would later shape my sound. Chicago introduced me to house music, jazz, and soulful grooves and rhythms, while Detroit introduced me to a unique blend of Motown soul, funk, Detroit Techno beats, and music innovation. In the South, I experienced gospel, blues, southern soul, country, and storytelling traditions that carried a different kind of emotional depth. These influences didn’t exist separately; they blended together and became part of how I hear and create music today.
As a child, I developed a habit of connecting music to moments in my life. When I would walk home from school, or run errands to the store, or go over to my friends’ houses, I always hummed melodies I made up in my head, letting the environment around me shape the sound. The visuals, the feelings, and the atmosphere all became part of the music. Looking back, I realize I was scoring my own life, creating a personal soundtrack without even knowing it.
My brother Warren and my friends PJ, JW, KK, and the 12th Street crew spent countless hours listening to music when I was in Arkansas. Those moments were foundational. When I returned to Chicago during my breaks and holidays, I made mixtapes, and when I went back south, I would sell or barter them for goods or records. These tapes featured mixes of Chicago house, Detroit techno, hip-hop, R&B, and new classic rock music from some of the best DJs of the time.
That experience introduced me to the art of curation, understanding how to build a vibe, sequence songs, and create an emotional journey and tell a story through sound.
While I was in high school, my cousin in Chicago gave me a powerful mixer. He was also instrumental in having me think outside the box with different genres of music and groups from overseas. I used the mixer to create my own mixtapes, DJ sets, and to further develop my ear for music. I invested whatever money I had into records, whether it came from my allowance, community work, or my job at Kmart in Pine Bluff or Jewel groceries in Chicago. Music was always a priority, and I was intentional about building my collection and expanding my knowledge.
I started DJing small events, including friends’ parties, performed at our high school talent show, and was with a group of friends, was recruited to write a song and perform it in a play from our drama club. Additionally, I assisted with providing music and DJ’ing for our high school fraternity/sorority events. Music shifted from something I simply enjoyed to something I actively contributed to. I wasn’t just listening anymore; I was shaping others' experiences.
One of the defining early moments in my journey came in 1985, when we had a demo played on a local radio station (KCAT). A group of friends from school and the neighborhood came together to create something, and hearing it broadcast publicly was a powerful experience. It showed me that what we created could extend beyond our immediate circle and reach others meaningfully.
When I entered the military, music remained a constant in my life. During my free time, I would spend hours at the music center playing with other musicians. These sessions exposed me to new instruments, tools, techniques, styles, and creative approaches. I learned by listening, observing, and experimenting. That environment broadened my understanding of producing music and deepened my appreciation for the craft.
I began creating my own music more seriously while stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. During that time, I purchased a drum machine, a keyboard, and a four-track recorder from a pawn shop. That setup became the foundation for my early production work. It allowed me to experiment, learn, and begin shaping my own sound.
As technology evolved, so did my setup. In 2006, I purchased my first professional keyboard, the Yamaha Motif XS6 Synthesizer Workstation. In 2007, I bought my first Apple computer and began working with Logic Pro as my digital audio workstation. By 2008, I had established a home studio that allowed me to record and produce more consistently. I later incorporated tools such as the Maschine production and sampling system, an Akai MPC Groovebox, and a Serato mixer, which expanded my production capabilities.
Later, I began recording more seriously and archiving my work. Friends like Terrell started writing and performing over my tracks, and together we created music that felt authentic and meaningful. Despite the progress, I chose to keep most of that work private. I stored it in what I often call “D Vault.”
For many years, I only shared my music with close friends and family. They consistently encouraged me to release it, but I didn’t feel the tracks were ready. In my mind, the production needed improvement, and I wanted the sound to reach a certain level before sharing it with a broader audience. So, I continued creating, refining, and storing the music.
During this period, I also began collaborating with neo-singers, poets, and spoken-word artists, adding another layer to my creative expression. This fusion of music and spoken word became an important part of my artistic identity and continues to influence my work today. It truly brought home the abstract vibe that I wanted to champion.
In 2020, during the global COVID-19 slowdown, I experienced a shift in perspective. With more time to reflect, I decided it was time to bring the music out of the vault. I worked with the artists who had supported and encouraged me over the years and released The Abstract Stream, Vol. 1. That project featured contributions from Ms. Tonya the Poet, Terrell, Qi Coffey, Vuduqn, Blue, Rhonda Marie, and others who helped bring the vision to life.
That release marked a turning point. It was the moment I moved from creating in private to sharing my work with the world.
Even after that milestone, life responsibilities, including work and education goals, limited the time I could dedicate fully to music. I continued to create, but much of the material remained archived or was shared selectively through my website for feedback.
In early 2025, after retiring from my career, I was finally able to return to music with full focus and intention. I revisited the vault, refreshed older tracks, updated production elements, and wrote new lyrics and inspired spoken word pieces. This period of renewed creativity allowed me to reconnect with my original musical instincts while also incorporating everything I had learned over the years.
Within approximately 15 months, I produced and released five projects. That level of output was not just about productivity; it was about alignment, clarity, and, finally, giving space to something that had always been a part of me. I truly thank the artists who have collaborated with me on multiple tracks. It is their talents and artistry that have helped me to produce what I feel is some great music. I want to send a big shout out to the tribe that has supported and been with me for a long time; Ms. Tonya the Poet, Terrell, Qi Coffey, Vuduqn, Blue, Rhonda Marie, and the newest artists that include Mystic Collective, Yolanda Gage, Lady Empress Grace, Rika, LaJunaiya, thegrandwy-z, Antonio, The Mystic Tribe and A’Kir. I also want to thank all my family and friends who have listened to demo tracks and provided feedback over the years.
Throughout every stage of my life, music has been the soundtrack to my experiences. Even today, a single song can take me back to a specific place in time, bringing back memories, emotions, and moments with clarity. That connection between music and memory has always been one of the most powerful aspects of my relationship with sound.
Looking back, I realize that music has never been something I started. It has always been something I’ve lived with. From being present at rehearsals as a child, to creating and selling mixtapes, to DJing, to building a studio, to creating in private, and eventually sharing my work publicly, each step has been part of a continuous journey.
So, when people ask me when I started doing music, my answer is simple. I didn’t start music. I grew up in it. I lived in it. And eventually, I answered the call to share it.
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Rooted in love. Guided by spirit. Created with purpose.
Dr. Derrick L. Wyatt
