John Powers

Yes, I have my melodica everywhere I go. I did in those days, at least. It's like a harmonica and a keyboard put together. I would carry it around school all the time. And, you know, I was just a very, very ambitious, precocious teenager in New York from Louisiana in the big city now. And the world literally was my oyster. I felt like I could...

Yes, I have my melodica everywhere I go. I did in those days, at least. It's like a harmonica and a keyboard put together. I would carry it around school all the time. And, you know, I was just a very, very ambitious, precocious teenager in New York from Louisiana in the big city now. And the world literally was my oyster. I felt like I could...

go out and put bands together and, you know, sometimes I'd even put acting troops together and I would combine the divisions to do projects that I dream up, you know, where I'd get dancers and actors and musicians and we would go down into the subways and we'd play for folks. I just don't think at that time they could understand the bigger vision that I saw in my head.

go out and put bands together and, you know, sometimes I'd even put acting troops together and I would combine the divisions to do projects that I dream up, you know, where I'd get dancers and actors and musicians and we would go down into the subways and we'd play for folks. I just don't think at that time they could understand the bigger vision that I saw in my head.

go out and put bands together and, you know, sometimes I'd even put acting troops together and I would combine the divisions to do projects that I dream up, you know, where I'd get dancers and actors and musicians and we would go down into the subways and we'd play for folks. I just don't think at that time they could understand the bigger vision that I saw in my head.

So, you know, things started to get to a point where they felt I wasn't focused enough, I guess.

So, you know, things started to get to a point where they felt I wasn't focused enough, I guess.

So, you know, things started to get to a point where they felt I wasn't focused enough, I guess.

Well, you know, I had a fairly easy time with some of the assignments that would, you know, I guess take some others a longer period of time to master, and I would basically sometimes sit in class, and this time I'd be there hearing music in my head, and I'd sing out loud, and These are just things that I didn't really know I was doing.

Well, you know, I had a fairly easy time with some of the assignments that would, you know, I guess take some others a longer period of time to master, and I would basically sometimes sit in class, and this time I'd be there hearing music in my head, and I'd sing out loud, and These are just things that I didn't really know I was doing.

Well, you know, I had a fairly easy time with some of the assignments that would, you know, I guess take some others a longer period of time to master, and I would basically sometimes sit in class, and this time I'd be there hearing music in my head, and I'd sing out loud, and These are just things that I didn't really know I was doing.

It's part of this sort of this world that I was living in, I guess, as a defense mechanism. You know, I'd hear music and it'd sing out loud in the middle of class. And then they would think, well, what's wrong with this guy? And he's got this lot of good he's carrying around and he's doing all of these zany projects and he's. You know, he's really unique, to say the least.

It's part of this sort of this world that I was living in, I guess, as a defense mechanism. You know, I'd hear music and it'd sing out loud in the middle of class. And then they would think, well, what's wrong with this guy? And he's got this lot of good he's carrying around and he's doing all of these zany projects and he's. You know, he's really unique, to say the least.

It's part of this sort of this world that I was living in, I guess, as a defense mechanism. You know, I'd hear music and it'd sing out loud in the middle of class. And then they would think, well, what's wrong with this guy? And he's got this lot of good he's carrying around and he's doing all of these zany projects and he's. You know, he's really unique, to say the least.

And at one point, one of my teachers had a conversation with the dean. And then there was a whole thing where everybody kind of co-signed this notion that maybe he should see someone. Maybe there's something up with this kid. He needs to go. And so I sat down. And I had an evaluation with the counseling department at Juilliard.

And at one point, one of my teachers had a conversation with the dean. And then there was a whole thing where everybody kind of co-signed this notion that maybe he should see someone. Maybe there's something up with this kid. He needs to go. And so I sat down. And I had an evaluation with the counseling department at Juilliard.

And at one point, one of my teachers had a conversation with the dean. And then there was a whole thing where everybody kind of co-signed this notion that maybe he should see someone. Maybe there's something up with this kid. He needs to go. And so I sat down. And I had an evaluation with the counseling department at Juilliard.

And it was a beautiful exchange that I didn't really see as an evaluation or any sort of problem. It just was a conversation for a long time that led to the conclusion that I didn't have any issues other than that. You know, they and I mean, I'm still humbled to hear. But he says this guy is a genius. The likes of Charlie Parker, which we have haven't seen here and we're lucky to have.

And it was a beautiful exchange that I didn't really see as an evaluation or any sort of problem. It just was a conversation for a long time that led to the conclusion that I didn't have any issues other than that. You know, they and I mean, I'm still humbled to hear. But he says this guy is a genius. The likes of Charlie Parker, which we have haven't seen here and we're lucky to have.

And it was a beautiful exchange that I didn't really see as an evaluation or any sort of problem. It just was a conversation for a long time that led to the conclusion that I didn't have any issues other than that. You know, they and I mean, I'm still humbled to hear. But he says this guy is a genius. The likes of Charlie Parker, which we have haven't seen here and we're lucky to have.