Kevin Short- American bass-baritone on TDR this Saturday

Posted on | April 2, 2009 | No Comments

Joining the Takedown Radio show this week and filling in for an injured Josh Thompson will be American bass-baritone Kevin Short. The following is a release from the NWHF.

Outstanding American Kevin Short to perform benefit concert for the Hall
By Roger Moore

The National Wresting Hall of Fame & Museum’s inaugural class of Outstanding Americans, inducted in 1992, included a wide variety of backgrounds. Two presidents; an astronaut; a general; a legendary actor; and one of the great writers of the 20th century were among a group of 10 who, at some point in their lives, were influenced by the sport of wrestling.

Since 1992, the NWHOF has continued to honor a diverse group of individuals.

Kevin Short adds to that diversity, as an African-American and an opera singer. In 2008, the NWHOF highlighted 50 years of African-American contributions to the sport of amateur wrestling. Although Short did not pursue a collegiate wrestling career, the Washington, D.C., native took some of what he learned on a wrestling mat into a career that has been every bit as competitive.

The son of a successful football coach in Maryland, Short played football until his freshman year.

“I was always pretty small, smaller than just about everybody on the field,” said Short, who was inducted into the NWHOF in 2004. “I thought I’d see what it was like competing against guys my own size. I weighed 98 pounds in the 9th grade.”

A quick learner, Short was a three-time district champion for Lackey High School. He attended Morgan State University where, originally, he was going to pursue wrestling and music. But his calling came in music and wrestling soon took a backseat.

“In high school you can pretty much do everything,” Short said. “That’s not the case in college. I once wrestled a match and went directly from a singlet to makeup and wardrobe for a musical. I played saxophone, was in a jazz band playing bass guitar and was also in theater, plus I was wrestling.

“It’s not that easy in college.”

The musical influence perhaps came from his mother’s side of the family which includes a number of world-class musicians. Many of them currently perform with successful bands in the D.C. area.

For Short, a life-changing experience occurred during his second year at Morgan State.

“I was just checking out some stuff in the music department, wanting to join the choir,” he said. “The instructor I talked with asked me to sing him a song. When I was done, he said I could make a living singing. I met with a few others and all of a sudden they were talking about a full-ride scholarship in music.

“Being able to make a living as a singer hadn’t really occurred to me.”

Eventually, Short ended up at the prestigious Julliard School of Music, where he graduated in 1989. Two years later he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1991. His career also includes performances at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy and Lincoln Centers, plus venues around the world.

In 1998, he was selected to perform at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

The 48-year old, now residing in Switzerland, is currently performing in Sarasota, Fla., with the Sarasota Opera. From March 7-27, Short, a bass-baritone, is part of the cast of Verdi’s Don Carlos.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” he admits. “I’ve been able to do things I never imagined. I didn’t really start until I was in my 20s. It was all fresh and new to me. When I got to Julliard I was with a lot of formally-trained students who’d been at it for a number of years. Like I said, I’ve been very fortunate.”

The 1960s produced some of the most racially-charged and turbulent times the United States has ever experienced.

“My mother and father both have multiple degrees,” Short said. “My father was the first black principal in Maryland and became a very successful football coach. He won a lot of games and that opened some doors. He was tough.

“The thing about my family is that I never heard that I couldn’t do something growing up. I’m sure there were some issues at the time, but our family never talked about racial issues. It was never ‘black-this’ or ‘black-that.’”

Opera, much more popular in European communities, hasn’t always been African-American friendly in the United States.

“Let’s just say I don’t usually play the love interest,” Short said. “There are still companies out there who wouldn’t consider hiring an African-American. It’s very difficult in this business.”

On April 17, Short will perform a benefit concert at the OSU Seretean Concert Hall in Stillwater. Proceeds from the concert benefit the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum’s Educational Outreach Program and the current exhibit “Glory Beyond the Sport: Wrestling and the Military.”

Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults. Tickets can be purchased through the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum at 405-377-5243 or info@wrestlinghalloffame.org.

Click here to purchase your Benefit Concert tickets.