Column: Slowly revealing layers of Speedy G, track star and addictions counselor

Connie Shakalis
Updated ·4 min read

So, I'm trying to explain Bloomington's Speedy G (aka Christopher Grant) to my husband. "He's an addictions counselor," I say. "He's a journalism grad. He's got an upcoming gig at the Orbit Room singing reggae. He's a track star. He ran the 60 meter in 6.64, for heaven's sake!"

My husband looks confused. "Eh?"

"Speedy G is an achiever," I mumble. What else was there to say?

Last week, a thoughtful man had discovered a red and yellow, palm-treed poster announcing a band called Tropical Melody Makers Musicians. He forwarded it to The Herald-Times.

"This can't be my 70-something woman friend's choral group?" I wondered. When I first moved to Bloomington, Pamela had introduced me to some nice, polite singing ladies, in the Melody Makers chorus.

Coming to the Orbit Room: Indiana University track star, social work grad debuts as reggae singer Speedy G

But the guy, Speedy G, beaming from this vibrant Tropical Melody Makers poster, didn't strike me as being in a ladies' harmony group. Oh. That was Melody Makers of Indiana, it turns out. A totally different group.

Seems a track star called Speedy G was going to switch from his regular Bethel African Methodist Episcopal church-singing to his reggae-singing debut in a bar, the Orbit Room.

Does he have cognitive dissonance about counseling people with addictions and now singing in a bar? "No, I don't," he said." But he does plan to do his next performance in dry territory for just that reason. So everyone can come and feel OK.

Christopher Grant, a graduate student at Indiana University, is also Speedy G, singing reggae, which is music he's heard in his youth growing up in Jamaica.
Christopher Grant, a graduate student at Indiana University, is also Speedy G, singing reggae, which is music he's heard in his youth growing up in Jamaica.

Speedy G is Christopher Grant, a journalism grad from Auburn University, who changed fields and has been holding psychological therapy sessions with people who are trying to beat their addictions.

"I love working with these people (who are in recovery)," he told me. "They are my favorite people." He stressed that "substance abuse can make people act outside themselves. A lot of people don't know how to do music sober. They feel that they're making their best work when they're high."

Addiction is absent in Speedy's own family, so I wondered what triggered his interest in recovery. Much of it revolves around his wanting to ditch negativity in general. After all, it was COVID-19 that inspired him to start a college radio talk show at Auburn ("Tiger Talk"), to help with student's depression and anxiety.

"Always delighted to share positivity," he said.

Speedy' humility made him difficult to interview. He's not that person who starts talking about himself the second I say, "Hello, this is Connie with 'The Herald-Times.'" After 20 minutes of conversation, I am still unclear about who the Tropical Melody Makers Musicians are. "Is it your band?' I prod. "Well, I don't know what to say," Speedy tried to answer. "I mean, Ross wanted me to do music. I'm the singer."

"Well, are you the band's leader?" I pursued.

(A few nervous Speedy laughs) "I don't want to say I'm the leader. I'm the singer."

"Yeah, but I don't want to insult Ross (Martinie Eiler) by mis-identifying him," I pushed.

"Ross is very cool," Speedy said.

Ross Martinie Eiler organized and helps manage the band. He plays keyboard, too. He noticed Speedy's intensity and devotion toward earning his master's in social work degree at Indiana University and thought reggae (Speedy is Jamaican) could broaden and soften Speedy's focus. (Speedy works on his education many hours per week, including his internships, providing therapy to those well-loved patients.

I keep urging Speedy to talk track. My research has revealed his prowess there.

"Are you running," I ask.

"No, I don't have time to run," he says. Even though he's an Olympics hopeful. Not running?! I know that to compete Olympics style he just has to run.

I also had trouble getting Speedy to boast about his track record. Here it is in part, from IUHoosiers.com

2022-23 track record:

Indoor

Ran the 60 meters in 6.80 at the Hoosier Open. Finished sixth in the 60 meters at the Commodore Challenge with times of 6.79 (P) and 6.82 (F) on the afternoon. Ran a season's best 6.74 at 60 meters in the Meyo Invitational. Clocked a 6.78 (60m) and 22.00 (200m) at the Windy City Invite. Finished eighth at 60 meters in the Big Ten Indoor Championships. Ran second leg for IU's sixth-place 4x400 relay team at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.

Outdoor

Clocked 21.82 into a slight headwind across 200 meters at the Raleigh Relays. Ran impressive times of 10.38 (100m), 21.33 (200m) and 40.74 (4x100 relay) at the Florida Relays. Anchored IU's 4x100 relay team (42.22) at the Tennessee Invite. Moved into the program's top-10 list after running 10.28 over 100 meters. Also anchored IU's 4x100 relay team to a time of 40.44.

Anchored IU's 4x100 relay (39.99) to the No. 5 time in program history at the Billy Hayes Invitational. Helped IU to fifth in the 4x100 relay (40.36) at the Big Ten Championships.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Speedy G is slow to reveal his music, track success and counseling