Once upon a time, a young Keith Urban was just 6 years old when he picked up the guitar, and hasn’t put it down since.
Music wasn’t always so easy for the naturally gifted artist. In high school, Urban was struggling in music class; he couldn’t read music, and had no music theory.
Fortunately for him, Urban had an amazing human being for a teacher, who believed in his natural talent so much that she bent some rules.
Urban, who is one of many artists working with the CMA Foundation to promote music education programs with their “Starts With M.E” campaign, shared a story from his early days.
The “Never Coming Down” singer tells, “”Her name was Mrs. Grimmer, my music teacher in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade. I failed music as a subject because I couldn’t read and had no [music] theory, but she knew I was naturally talented so she rewrote this whole test that we were supposed to take.”
The new exam had less to do with “theory” and more to do with “playing.” Sure, it veered away from the school’s actual curriculum, but it played into Urban’s strengths and gave him a chance to succeed. It’s something all kids deserve.
The school officials didn’t agree, and failed the ENTIRE class!
Urban shares of his teacher’s reaction to the whole thing, “She was so distraught. But that meant the world to me that she would want to recognize our natural talents like that.”
