2019 Issue 5 Sep/Oct - Focus Mid-Tenn Magazine

music
breaking
the habit
LEVI KREIS CONQUERS HIS BAD HABIT ON NEW ALBUM
by Joey Amato | photos courtesy of Rachel Love Photography
Although LGBT musician Levi Kreis
is young, he’s had a career most
musicians and actors can only dream
of. The Tony Award-winning actor/singer and
Belmont University graduate has performed
in multiple Broadway shows and his music
has appeared on numerous film and television
shows including The Vampire Diaries, Sons of
Anarchy and So You Think You Can Dance.
Kreis blends numerous
genres to create a truly
unique sound that has
garnered him fans across the
country. The East Tennessee
native spent his youth
mimicking the piano style
of southern gospel music
and idolizing men like Ray
Charles who brought that
sound to the mainstream.
But Kreis confesses that
everything he knows, he
learned from one of Ray’s
younger peers, Little Miss
Dynamite, Brenda Lee.
A family friend, Lee gave
Kreis the opportunity to
tour with her after she
discovered his talent.
“She allowed me to tour
with her for a couple of
summers,” recalls Kreis.
“I got to spend time with
her on her bus and on
stage. She was so classy
and whether she was on
stage or off, she was always
thoughtful of people and
conscious of other people’s
experiences around her.”
Kreis will always be
grateful to Lee and credits
her for giving him the best
piece of career advice he’s
ever received. “Be kind to
everyone you meet, because
you meet the same people
on the way up as you do on
the way down.”
Traveling on her tour bus
and studying her genius
on stage and off, Kreis
adopted Lee’s strong work
ethic and classy reputation:
“Anyone who works their
ass off, can find success.”
To this day Lee confesses,
“I taught him everything he
knows!”
Page 24 / focusmidtenn.com / SEP+OCT 2019 / SUCCESS