Reprinted with permission from Brunswick County Early College High School’s The Firebird Times.
Students at Brunswick County Early College High School may know her as “the new receptionist” or “the lady at the front office,” but who is Danielle Walcott? She was recently hired as the Administrative Assistant at Brunswick Early College, but her roots go much deeper than working in the educational field.
Walcott, originally from New Jersey, moved to Greensboro and grew up with eight brothers, her mother, and her father. She states, “We had everything we needed and most of what we wanted.” Her family had a musical touch. As she grew up, her affinity for music flourished.
When it was time for college, Walcott dreamed of becoming a musician. Though her father was supportive in her life, he did not think being a musician was a promising long-term career. He wanted the best for her since she was the first in the family to go to university. He thought being a doctor was a highly prestigious job, so she went to school to be a doctor at UNC Charlotte. After graduating, she received a job as an Emergency Medical Technician. The job that was supposed to be one year turned into twelve and a half years. Meanwhile, her passion for music did not stop. She would play in bands outside of working. As she concluded her time as an EMT, Walcott went back to UNC Charlotte for her undergraduate in jazz study and guitar.
Walcott’s experience in the educational field began in 2021. She started out by teaching high school orchestra and guitar lessons, then taught as a middle school English teacher. An example of Walcott’s educational influence comes from Hopewell High School. There, she taught 7 students orchestra and guitar lessons. Walcott called them the “underdogs of the school.” When Walcott was first offered the job, she knew nothing about teaching music. She had always learned music by ear. However, the job offer was too irresistible and she was too determined. She used her network of former college professors to help her with teaching her students. The students were even able to visit the UNC Charlotte campus to play in front of the music college professors to be graded. Today, 1 of those 7 students is currently at UNC Wilmington studying music, something they never expected to be their career. Walcott was proud to inspire, even if it was just 1 person.
Walcott has established her own bands: The Mamma Jammas and Empress. She has built a name for herself in Charlotte NC. She can play the bass guitar, lead guitar, trumpet, and a little bit of the piano. The main genres she plays are Rhythm and Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Neosoul, and recently Classic Rock. Though she has been a professional musician for 22 years, she is still taking lessons and learning constantly. She says, “You don’t ever stop learning.” She is still in touch with her professors from college for assistance when necessary. She is grateful for the network she has built and strongly encourages others to build a network to benefit everyone involved.
Walcott states it is not all glory in the music industry. There are both good times and bad times. The music industry expects perfection; even the smallest of errors could result in contempt from other musicians. Despite all of the bad times, Walcott did not give up. She knew she was just as worthy as the rest and spoke up for herself.
She is not done yet! She still has many dreams to be fulfilled. She has built a studio for herself and will be producing her music. Her first piece will be using her first track produced in college as a tribute to her daughter: Morgan’s Rainbow. Her ultimate goal is to have her own venue focusing on music, live performances, and a program for women and girl musicians connected with overall wellness. She loves the entertainment business because it not only helps people become happier but because she is also able to inspire them to strive for greatness. She believes God has blessed her with a gift and it should be shared with the world.
Walcott came up with the name of “Indoa Music” for her official music business. Indoa is the Swahili word for marriage. She believes in the sanctity of marriage. Just like in life, on the stage Walcott states “…you must be a strong family unit.”
She has even experienced the televised entertainment business! If you look closely at the extras in the movie “Naked” (2017), you will see Walcott there. She also played on the awards show Urban One Honors for a tribute show to International Sweethearts of Rhythm.
Music is not Walcott’s only focus. She has been married for 14 years and has 2 children. She is a hands-on mom who is protective and loving to her children. She took what she learned from her parents and applied it to her family. She wants to raise them to be independent, yet respectful thinkers and to be inspired to branch out. She has exemplified this belief by showing courage and bravery and her faith in God these past 4 years. She encourages others to “take a risk at something you love to do, not on something you have to settle for.”
In conclusion, like the well-known adage: Do not judge a book by its cover, Danielle Walcott is much more than “the lady at the front desk” or “the new receptionist.” She is a strong independent woman. She is a loving mother and wife. She is a musician. She is an EMT. She is a teacher. She is an inspiration to those who listen to her.
Interested in hearing her music? On October 12, at Riverwalk Park, Belville, she will be playing music at the Brunswick County Intercultural Festival 2024.
