A drummer on his way to Berklee College of Music, Cain Daniel has been playing since he was three years old. Born in New York but raised in Miami, Daniel drifted from music as a young boy, despite that, music followed him wherever he went. His father is an alumnus from Berklee College of Music and is currently the lead drummer for a band called, Boukan Ginen in Haiti. His mother is a singer for her own local band right here in South Florida.

Daniel first began to take music seriously when he realized it ran in his blood. At the early age of fifteen his focused on his future and what he really loved, music. He says, “I don’t think I would be anywhere near where I am today if I didn’t have the support of my parents.”

His mother gave him the start into the music business by allowing him to play in her band. She knew that he was capable of playing professionally so she took on the responsibility of allowing him to play with well-experienced musicians.

“It gave me a challenge to have to prove to everybody that I was good enough, to be able to hang with them, and all of the people that ever saw me,” he recalls.

Working his way up he studied music and paid attention to details. With ears wide open he listened to a wide range of artists. One specifically was Steve Gadd who is an American studio drummer who played for many popular musicians. Nonetheless Daniel had his very own personal instructor to listen to and that was his father, Jimmy Daniel.

“When I wasn’t working I’d go and watch my dad play and that was a lesson in it itself. Watching someone so much better than you and doing the same things that you’re doing you can always learn something different” Daniel said.

Even though it may seem that Daniel’s life had no troubles, he experienced some drawbacks. Although he decided on attending Berklee College of Music, a well-known school through out the world with a 28% acceptance rate, early on his high school academic year he strived to take the most rigorous classes, and practice everyday. Later on he found out that he wasn’t accepted to Berklee till the fall term of 2014.

Upset and angry as he was of not being able to attend the school of his dreams he looked at Miami Dade College as the bright side to it.

“ I’m glad I’m at Miami Dade College, it gave me an introduction to what college is about. I’m trying to make the best out of it and as realistic as possible because I know what it’s going to be like once I enter Berklee. It’s a dog eat dog world for musicians and I’m seeing a glimpse of it right now at MDC,” Daniel said.

In his second semester at MDC Kendall campus he was nominated to be the Principal Chair for an orchestra of MDC students who played at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. “ I was so surprised because it was the first orchestra I had ever played in and I had never been in an orchestra. It was nice to get the recognition for my hard work and you could say that it’s paying off, ” Daniel said.

With a bright future ahead of him Cain Daniel hopes to graduate from Berklee with a Performer’s Degree and a Music Business and Management Degree. So look out folks, if you happen to hear Cain Daniel playing with popular musicians you’ll know that he’s coming on strong and he means business.