Seated in his living room, musician Kurt Stevens tickled the ivories and tried out his newfound singing voice. He was 14 years old and on an Elton John kick with his only audience being his family and his mother’s close friend, Terry. She truly believed in Stevens, and though he was doubtful in his singing, she gave him hope that someday more people might want to hear him perform. One day, during one of his many four-hour practices, he was called into the kitchen to find his mother in tears and Terry asking him for a favor.

Terry’s cancer had returned with a bad prognosis, and she asked him to honor her by singing at her service. Given the gravity of the request, Stevens was confused when Terry added it would be the greatest gift he’d ever give her. He set to the task, rewriting the words to “Candle in the Wind” and preparing “Imagine” by John Lennon.

A couple weeks later, he arrived at her funeral alongside what seemed like the entire town with at least a thousand people in attendance. Stevens was called to the stage where he cried and shook along with a tearful crowd, but didn’t falter on a single note.

“When family and friends asked afterward how I maintained my composure, it hit me,” recalls Stevens. “I’d never be nervous again. It turned out that the greatest gift she ever gave me was a clear drive because after that day I knew playing music was exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

The rush of confidence came at a pivotal time as Stevens perfected intricate classical music on the piano and overcame his fear of forgetting notes. At a young age he would fiddle with the keys every time he walked by a piano, and his father took notice.

Stevens was enrolled in lessons at 4 years old and studied under Maestro Harold Brown. He participated in classical piano competitions at the school and state levels, winning national awards for his performances.

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