submitted by Colleen Gianatiempo
Hi. My friend Pete Emmons worked on the “Small Town with a Big Heart Mural” from 2016-2017 in the creek area near Starbucks downtown. He just passed away and I wanted to let everyone know in Martinez!
When I met Pete Emmons in 2016, I didn’t first know him as a legendary figure in the drum corps world or as one of the longtime leaders behind the Blue Devils organization. I met him while painting a downtown Martinez mural called Small Town With a Big Heart.
The title now feels especially fitting.
The very first day Pete volunteered on the mural, I showed up a few minutes late. He stood there wearing his Ray-Ban sunglasses, looked at me, and dramatically tapped his watch as if to say, “You’re late.” It instantly made me laugh. That was Pete — funny, sharp, observant, and somehow able to make an impression in seconds.
What started as a volunteer connection slowly became a friendship, and over time Pete became like family to me. He showed up constantly in my life in ways that mattered. He attended my son’s gymnastics meets, helped me with art shows, and supported my creative work with genuine enthusiasm. In many ways, he became a father figure and steady presence in my life.
Many people knew Pete as a respected leader, mentor, and Hall of Fame figure in the marching arts community through his decades with the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. He helped shape generations of performers and was part of one of the most successful organizations in drum corps history.
But what always stood out to me most was his humility.
Despite all he had accomplished, he showed up to help paint a community mural. No ego. No need for recognition. Just a willingness to serve, connect, and contribute. Pete understood something important: community matters, whether on a football field, backstage at a performance, or standing on a downtown sidewalk with a paintbrush in hand.
His passing leaves a tremendous hole for so many people whose lives he touched quietly and consistently. I feel incredibly fortunate that I got to know not just the public figure, but the man behind the sunglasses and the playful watch tap.
Every time I see that mural, I’ll think of Pete Emmons — not only as a legend in the drum corps world, but as part of the heart behind Martinez itself.
