Schools
Student Spotlight: Caleb Flood-Goldstick
Already having recorded more than a dozen original songs, this Farragut Middle School 7th grader is well on his way to a promising career as a musician.
Name: Caleb Flood-Goldstick
Age: 13
School:
Grade: 7
Accomplishments:
- Member of the FMS Jazz Band—under the direction of Mike Rubino—since he was in 5th grade.
- Plays Lacrosse for FMS.
- Has written 15 original songs that have been recorded.
- Raised funds for UNICEF by organizing his friends to sing and record thier version of "We are the World."
- Performed live for a March & Rally for Equality in October 2010 in Sheridan Square NYC in front of the Stonewall Inn after writing and recording a song, "You're Not Alone" which is dedicated to kids who commit suicide after being bullied for being perceived as homosexual.
- Performed at the "Take Me to the River" Music festival in 2009 & 2010.
Secret to Caleb's Success
Listen to 13-year-old Caleb Flood-Goldstick's recordings and it is immediately clear that his music and lyrics come from the heart.
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What distinguishes Goldstick is his passion for music and his desire to affect change through music, said his mother Diane Flood Taylor.
"I play music whenever I can," commented the talented young musician, adding that music allows him to express the way he feels inside about life and the world around him.
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Reacting to the number of teen suicides as a result of bullying, Goldstick wrote a song dedicated to the victims of this social epidemic.
"If one kid hears my song, for example, 'You're Not Alone' and doesn't hurt himself, that would be amazing," Goldstick remarked.
When his grandfather passed away in 2010, Goldstick wrote a song called "I'll Miss You" in tribute to him, saying that,"It made me feel better to write, and I wanted my family to feel comfort through that song which made me really happy."
So where does this 7th-grader get his inspiration for the songs he writes?
"Mostly I write music about what I feel because it's probably what someone else feels, too and maybe they can't express it," stated Goldstick with maturity well beyond his years.
He added: "I like writing music about stuff that's relevant to what's going on today."
You can listen to Caleb Flood-Goldstick's recordings in the media section of this article above.
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