About
Founded by DJ Carolynn Travis, Earlove are earplugs for music, earplugs for musicians, earplugs for concerts, earplugs for Clubs. Earlove are Etymotic Etyplugs. Travis launched and managed Adopt-a-Band at Etymotic saving over 60,000 music student's hearing over a 3 year period.
Earlove Legacy
Earlove®️ was founded in 2004 by Carolynn Travis — musician, DJ, (Sugarflywithme) manager and popular fixture of Chicago’s many diverse music scenes — whose personal experience with noise-induced hearing loss prompted her to take up the fight against this widespread, yet preventable, disability.
Committed to remaining an active musician while eager to help friends and colleagues avoid unnecessary harm, Carolynn created Earlove®️ as a friendly, nonjudgmental conversation starter and set about giving away as many pairs of earplugs as she could afford.
15 years ago, hearing protection was rarely discussed by concert goers or nightclub devotees. Information about dangerous noise exposure and how to prevent permanent hearing damage wasn’t readily available to the general public. When earplugs were available at clubs and gigs, typically the only option was cheap foam that muffles the music and degrades the sound quality.
Carolynn’s near-deaf experience led her to the door of Etymotic Research and its founder Mead Killion, a pioneering audiologist who invented the original earphone technology and created a new product category of in-ear monitors for musicians and sound technicians. Earlove®️ introduced Etymotic’s professional grade noise reduction and unequaled fidelity preservation to music fans at an affordable price. Propelled by customers’ word-of-mouth enthusiasm, and later through press and social media, Earlove®️ is a respected, nationally-known brand.
In addition to Earlove®️, Carolynn has established herself as a leader in hearing protection education and marketing. She served as Etymotic’s Global Brand Advocate and Social Media Specialist for four years, while reaching over 60,000 music students and educators as manager of the lauded “Adopt-A-Band” program. In 2008, she was awarded the Natalie Stukas Award for Hearing Conservation by the Illinois Academy of Audiology which acknowledges outstanding achievement in clinical practice, consumer education, research, or product development in the area of hearing conservation. She has given lectures and presentations throughout the United States focusing on hearing conservation in music education. In October, 2013 she was an invited to present at INNOVATIONS IN NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS PREVENTION IN KIDS hosted by 3M and Dangerous Decibels.
Travis is currently the DJ (Numinous Radio) and founder of SugarFlyWithMe, a live collective with DJ, violins & cello with the occasional marimba & trombone and also works out of her home studio making things. She’s worked for Poi Dog Pondering since 1995 and has worn many hats, from band and label manager to merchandise manager, Travis works behind the scenes to help make the magic happen. In her home studio she creates art, band merch and other various hand made items. In 2022 she completed her first public art installation as part of Sundays on State Street, meadow, comprised 800 hand made, watercolor flowers and over 1,000 Swarovski crystals.