Pendleton Marine inspires listeners through music

Photo By Cpl. Michelle Brinn | Twenty-year-old Cpl. Dominique Butts, a postal clerk for Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, began exploring his underlying musical talents when he joined his first Marine Corps unit about three years ago in MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. With his growing potential, Butts plans to find some new band members from base so he can continue to pursue his passion and hopefully inspire Marines and sailors through his music.  

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

01.27.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Michelle Brinn 

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Not everyone is gifted with musical talent at a young age, but for one Camp Pendleton Marine, his ability to create music has inspired him to pursue a passion that now echoes through the hearts of his listeners.

Twenty-year-old Cpl. Dominique Butts, a postal clerk for Headquarters and Support Battalion, began exploring his underlying musical talents when he joined his first Marine Corps unit about three years ago in Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan.

“When I first got to Japan, I didn’t want to leave the barracks; I was just too timid,” said Butts, an Indianapolis, Ind., native. “I told myself I needed to find a hobby so I would stay out of trouble and be able to occupy my free time.”

Choosing a hobby was easy for Butts, since he grew up around music. He played piano when he was younger and was involved with the school choir and music classes. His first step toward getting back into music: buying a guitar.

“After I bought my guitar, that’s when I ran into Staff Sgt. (Shane) Hall,” said Butts. “I knew he was really into playing and that he had skill to back it up. He offered to start giving me some lessons after work.”

Soon after he picked up his new hobby and found his playing style through Hall, Butts deployed to Afghanistan.

Although in Afghanistan Butts said he couldn’t compare his stress or daily work to what the infantrymen do, he related to the lifestyle change in a different way.

“I wasn’t used to working 10 to 18 hours every night, seven days a week with no days off,” Butts explained, pinpointing that being a postal clerk in Afghanistan is more tedious than being attached to a base unit. “You don’t really have a lot of time for yourself. It’s all about accomplishing the daily mission, whatever that may be.”

Butts along with another Marine began playing guitar together during their deployment, and that’s where it became his escape, Butts said.

“When Butts came back to Japan, he had really grown as a musician,” said Hall, now a postal clerk with Marine Logistics Group 2, and Butt’s mentor. “I knew he had talent, so I just helped him develop a style and pushed him to try and get some gigs.”

It was in Japan that Butt’s “career” as a musician really took off. Through Hall’s motivation and practice, Butt’s began to discover his true, inner talent which eventually evolved into a six-man band known as “Ghetto Script.”

The band eventually linked with Japan’s Marine Corps Community Services who signed them up to play shows on base.

“Once we got with MCCS, it was our breakthrough,” said Butts. “We went from having to pay to play, to all of the sudden getting paid to do what we love.”

In addition to MCCS, Hall who is also a solo musician with an album published on iTunes, had a link with a production company that helped land them more gigs.

“Playing on stage with the band really got my confidence a musician up,” said Butts. “At first I didn’t think I was good enough to play, which is why I stuck playing with a full band.”

Now that Butt’s got stationed at Camp Pendleton, he has been working on creating and recording his own set list for a show.

“Butt’s is truly a full-package deal,” said Hall. “He has what every musician wants. He sings, raps, plays and he has amazing communication skills. His potential is limitless.”

With his growing potential, Butt’s plans to find some new band members from Camp Pendleton so he can continue to pursue his passion and hopefully inspire Marines and sailors through his music.

“Me and Staff Sgt. Hall created our own type of music,” said Butts. “We call it ‘acousta-clectic.’ It’s like a rock-hip-hop mix, with a bit of an edge. I hope our style can inspire all types of musicians and listeners everywhere, not just in the Marine Corps.”

• Date Taken: 01.27.2012
• Date Posted: 01.27.2012 10:40
• Story ID: 82927
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US