Marcus Gilmore is the grandson of Roy Haynes, who gave him his first drum kit at the age of ten, and the nephew of Graham Haynes.

A graduate of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Gilmore also received full ride scholarships to the Juilliard School of Music and Manhattan School of Music.

He has been touring professionally since the age of sixteen. Gilmore is the recipient of several awards such as the Wynton Kelly Foundation Award, the Wyoming Seminary PAI Best Instrumentalist Award, The Shifting Foundation grant, and a Latin Grammy for his work with pianist Chick Corea to name a few. Marcus has been named a protégé of the 2018 Rolex Mentors And Protégé project.