Sinclair Wheeler follows his heart, love of performance

After one and a half years of IU education, Sinclair Wheeler said he decided to drop out and put 100 percent into his career as an entertainer.

“I want to give myself the benefit of the doubt that this dream is worth pursuing,” Wheeler said. “If I get to the point where I’m playing cover songs every night, then I may start to question that aspect of my life, but until then I want to dedicate all of me into my music and acting.”

Wheeler will take the stage at 9 p.m. today at the Bluebird Nightclub.

“It is a phenomenal historic venue, everyone has played there,” he said.

Will Runzel of Fifth Agency represents Wheeler by contacting venues, booking gigs and promoting his events.

“He markets himself well and works for himself as much as we do,” Runzel said.
Wheeler’s friend, Nick Browdues, loaned Wheeler his first guitar at the age of 16 and taught him how to play. Wheeler said he has been playing ever since.

“I wouldn’t call him a guitarist or actor or even a musician, but an entertainer who is charismatic, very intuitive and lets loose so he can do what he is good at,” Browdues said.

Wheeler said when he first started playing, he was most excited and happy with his music when he would sit in his bedroom and learn every Dave Matthews Band song he knew. Ever since he said he has been chasing the same excitement.

“I found it when I came to Bloomington,” he said. “There isn’t a high higher than playing something unexpected on stage.”

Wheeler’s acoustic guitar is sent through a loop pedal that records and plays back his music and gives the impression there is a full band performing.

“I have never seen a guitarist with a loop pedal and a DJ before, so that’s really dope,” Wheeler said. He added he will collaborate with a DJ in a future show.

Wheeler sometimes also performs with his band Sinclair Wheeler & The Flood.
“We sound like a groove-able upbeat James Brown that can keep the ear entertained,” he said.

Wheeler said he is willing to adapt his music to any audience whether they want to hear something relative to John Mayer, Stevie Wonder or Keller Williams.

“I don’t want to be genre restricted,” Wheeler said. “They didn’t know what to call Elvis when he came out.” 

Runzel added that Wheeler has also mastered six or seven instruments.

“Ever since I can remember, I have loved the act and art of entertaining,” Wheeler said.

He said that his musically talented father influenced him and encouraged him to travel across the state to perform as a young child. A YouTube video of Wheeler shows him performing Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” in his sixth grade talent show.

Wheeler’s acting career has taken off as well. He has filmed commercials and stars in Ball State University’s 2009 summer HD movie, “Free Wall,” which is nominated for the Heartland Film Festival and is showing until Oct. 24 in various Indianapolis theaters.

He has also performed alongside R&B singer Jeremih at Ice Lounge in Indianapolis.

“I kept being persistent about performing with him,” Wheeler said. “It was motivational for me to say I need to be here next year. I want to go from playing at Ice Lounge to Lucas Oil Stadium to Madison Square Garden.”

Wheeler has also performed across state lines, but mostly on college campuses such as IU, Purdue University and Ball State.

“I love the scene in Bloomington and the crowd of people that just want to groove and have a good time,” he said.

If he had it his way, Wheeler said he would be on a world tour in front of a million people because he is that passionate about performing.

“If 500 people came to my show and one walked away pleased, then that’s my goal – as long as somebody’s walking away happy,” he said.