Rhode Island Violinist Impresses Kelly Clarkson After Viral Whale Performance
Kevin Lowther of Westerly, better known as Big Lux, has lived a life of passion. He served in the U.S. Army for 13 years and now spends his time playing the violin and inspiring people through music.
When one of his performances at Mystic Aquarium went viral, Big Lux found himself on The Kelly Clarkson Show shortly after, talking about his experience playing for the beluga whales.
Lowther grew up in a musically-inclined family. Both of his parents came from a musical family, playing the clarinet and the saxophone. He played violin through high school and decided to enlist in the Army after graduation.
When he was stationed in Korea, he was able to home in on his craft with the violin, developing a style all his own: a violinist with a hip-hop sound.
“They have incredible street music culture,” Lux said. “I was playing in the street for a couple of years and it was great, I could have a show anytime I wanted. There was a lot of energy around street music.”
After his time in the Army ended, he was ready to pursue his musical side, becoming a highly sought-after performer for weddings, clubs, and everything in between – but he probably never expected to play for beluga whales.
“I have a friend at the aquarium who is a manager there and a musician. I invited him to play a show with me, so we got acquainted,” Lux explained. “The aquarium has done this for years, where they bring in musicians to play music for the beluga whales because they are fascinated by it.”
Thankfully the cameras were rolling, because it got him a phone call from Kelly Clarkson.
“They reached out to me, we did some interviews, and they like what they heard,” he said. “It was really cool. She was exactly the person you would think she is. She is a genuine person, and it was pretty cool to get compliments from her."
Clarkson was so impressed with the aquarium’s program, and Lux was eager to share his experience, telling her how the whales would give a different reaction to each type of song he played.
“They ran away when I played ‘Devil Went Down to Georgia’, but I played the Irish jig and they jumped right off,” he told Clarkson.
The experience of playing for animals proved to Lux that all living things can connect through music and being able to share his story on The Kelly Clarkson Show was the icing on the cake. It was a hectic day for Lux, as he was scheduled to perform for a wedding right after the interview, but what better way to get pumped up for a performance than to chat with a national recording artist?
“I feel like I’m on my second life," he said. "I was an active-duty army member for 13 years, I was deployed in Baghdad in 2000…I just feel like I’m really lucky to be here."
He plans on sending good vibes to people every day through his music and looks forward to playing for animals again.
Stay tuned for an upcoming collaboration involving Big Lux and the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence.
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