Steve Eastwood

Steve Eastwood grew up in New Jersey and discovered his love for the trumpet in the fourth grade, playing all the way through high school. In addition to the school band and marching bands, he performed with friends in a local group humorously called The Psychotic Blues Band. While studying engineering at Cornell University, Steve kept music close by performing and attending unforgettable concerts, including seeing Joni Mitchell in the early 1970s. After retiring from his engineering career, Steve found a new home at NAMM’s Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, where he volunteers as a gallery attendant, and he also joined the New Horizons Band, which rehearses weekly at the NAMM building. Volunteering has brought him lasting friendships with staff, fellow volunteers, and museum visitors. Among his favorite moments are guiding families with young children through the galleries and encouraging older visitors who wistfully say they “used to play” an instrument. With a smile, Steve often replies, “It’s never too late! Let me tell you about the New Horizons Band and what it’s done for me.”