Finding My People: John Wayne Cormier Jr on Belonging, Recovery, and Music Behind Bars

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of inTUNE: Stories of Connection Through Music, Dr. Melissa Martiros sits down with John Wayne Cormier Jr., a Worcester County House of Correction alumnus and opporTUNEity participant, for an honest conversation about gang life, addiction, incarceration, and the music program that changed the direction of his life.John Wayne shares a story that starts early — a rough household, a move that pulled him away from his first real community, and a gang affiliation by age 12. What follows is a decade and a half of homelessness, addiction, and incarceration. But it's also a story about the moments music showed up: a fifth grade talent show where someone told him he had something, and years later, a jail classroom where he walked in and felt, for the first time in a long time, like he was with his people.Since his release in 2020, John Wayne has returned to opporTUNEity as a teaching artist and continues working in recovery advocacy.Music Featured"April (Why'd You Take So Long)" — John Wayne Cormier Jr., Tajawn Campbell, Charlie Hartwell; OpporTUNEity Records"Sabrina's Song" — John Wayne Cormier Jr., Alex Calabrese, Ethan Leff, Joe Dunn"Wish I May" — OpporTUNEity Songwriting Class (2021)Intro and outro music written and produced by opporTUNEity students.Get in Touch Submit questions or topics at https://opporTUNEitymusic.org/intuneEpisode produced and edited by Angela Senicz. Learn more about our programs, stories, and community at https://opporTUNEitymusic.org