He was only 4 years old when it all started. It followed him everyplace. It was there when he watched TV, and even there when he rode in his seat in the car. Music followed him every place. From the moment Anthony Ceesay could talk, he could sing.

“I sang everything I heard,” Ceesay said.

As he grew up, he was introduced to a new way to produce music, not only with his voice.

Ceesay picked up two wooden sticks and a drum set and fell in love. He was taught how to play by his friend in San Jose where he grew up. He and his friend would meet after school at a nearby youth center where he played for the first time.

“The youth center had the nicest drum set. I saw it and was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I want to learn to play that.’ He taught me everything.”

When Ceesay moved to Stockton he began to teach himself. He started out with the simple things like 1-2-3-4, he said as he imitated playing the drums. Ceesay is inspired by his favorite band Fall Out Boy.

“I’ve come a long way. I was, I mean agh. I was really bad,” Ceesay said. “I practiced every chance I had. I worked on things like stick control, then got into harder stuff and techniques.”

Ceesay joined the jazz band his junior year. He performed at concerts, lunch time activities and football games. Joseph Updegraff, music teacher, says his presence provides positive energy for others.

“Anthony is full of energy all the time,’ Updegraff said. “I don’t know where he finds it but it’s good. We need that.”

Another quality Updegraff said Ceesay has is his dedication to play. He describes many people in band as not having the same desire to play. But for Ceesay, that’s not the case.

“He actually wants to play. Other people I have to convince, but with him if he had the chance to play all day, I seriously think he would,” Updegraff said.

Ceesay takes these experiences and applies them when he performs with his band named Before Her Eyes. His band just started and is in the process of making songs and recording them.

“It feels awesome. I get to make music with my best friends, hang out with them and work on music as a team,” Ceesay said.

Ceesay plans to attend Delta College in the fall and hopes to have his first show with his band in the winter.

“I love it. Music is life. You can’t go a day without listening to something that came from music. It’s magical to be a part of that.”