ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A former Pinellas County Schools student is celebrating a big honor—being a Grammy nominee at just 24 years old.
You could say the years of hard work and dedication were worth it when you see the accomplishments of Kendric McCallister.
He’s a 2017 graduate of Pinellas County Center for the Arts (PCCA) at Gibbs High School, inspired by his teachers and peers every day.
“Most of my practice foundation and the way I think as a musician was founded during my time at PCCA and during Pinellas County Schools," said McCallister.
The saxophone is his main instrument, though he also plays piano, and he’ll tell you he spent a lot of time practicing.
“We started school at 7:05, I would wake up around 5:30, and I would do about an hour," said McCallister. "When I wake up in the morning, I practice. When I come home, I practice for like two hours. I usually do two-hour sessions, and so when I was out of high school or on the weekends, I would wake up at 6, so my alarm rings at 5:30, and I wake up at 6, I practice two hours. I take two hours off. I practice another two hours. I take two hours off. I practice another two hours."
McCallister went on to college at SUNY Purchase.
Robert Thomas, a music teacher at Gibbs High and the assistant jazz band teacher at PCCA was one of McCallister’s teachers in school.
“Usually, when guys are playing jazz, and they’re reading those chord progressions, a lot of guys just play anything and think that it’s going to work, but Kendric is playing right on every chord progression. He’s playing the chords and the exact notes of what goes with those chords," said Thomas. "That's what you want to hear while making a great melody and making the solo make sense to musicians.”
Recently, the 24-year-old’s hard work paid off with the honor of a lifetime.
“He was like, check this out, and he showed me his phone, and it had the listings of the nominations, and that’s where we saw Lush Life, Kendric McCallister, Samara Joy recording is nominated for Best Arrangement," said McCallister.
McCallister learned he'd become a Grammy nominee in the category for “Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals.”
“I feel very honored about it," said McCallister. "I still can’t help but feel like you know that’s not the end goal, of course. I still look forward to what comes after.”
Win or lose, he has big plans for the future.
“What I’m planning on doing and going after is to write for more projects," said McCallister. "Just keeping that love of music, that’s where I want to be.”
The Grammy Awards are Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. EST.
