Music defines Nikki Stevenson’s world
To say Marshalltown native Nikki Stevenson’s life is not boring is an understatement.
Starting out as a professional singer at age 10, Stevenson recorded her first full-length CD at age 14 and was traveling across Iowa to sing during her senior year in high school while working at the Times-Republican as a secretary.
After graduation, Stevenson saw the bright lights of Nashville, Tenn. and moved there for about 10 years. She went on to record six Christian albums and traveled across the country as a professional singer.
“But I found that traveling was much harder that I thought it would be. I loved touring and sharing my story in churches all across the country, but it was getting hard to be on the road all of the time,” Stevenson said.
So she moved back to Marshalltown, and tried several jobs, such as hardware manager in Menards, a paraprofessional at Lenihan Middle School, drove a semi for a farmer, did medical billing – but always had a desire to return to what defined her as an
individual … music.
So she became the music director at the Iowa Veterans Home.
“While there I taught a lot of veterans to play the guitar,” Stevenson said. “It was so interesting to watch how playing an instrument reduced the anxiety in the
veterans… proving one can never be too old to learn.”
She also became the worship leader at Center Street Baptist Church and has held that position for about three and a half years.
In February 2019, Stevenson left IVH and began teaching music full time.
She now teaches piano, voice and guitar lessons from her home on Center Street. Since beginning in April, Stevenson said she has had a clientele of approximately 25 students.
“Most people teach piano by the book, but I teach people to play by the ear first,” Stevenson said. “Then we go back to learn how to read music.”
She also said that teaching music theory helps her students become more motivated to learn and succeed.
“Kids need a lot of inspiration and that is my goal to give it to them through motivation,” she said.
In addition to all this, Stevenson is starting a YouTube channel; has sang patriotic songs in a grain bin with her father; does photography for portraits and weddings and even cuts hair for her friends
“Music is my main career and I do a lot with it,” Stevenson said, laughing. “But I had to think outside the box along the way.”
“I guess I never really realized how many musicians that we have here in Marshalltown. It is fun being a music teacher and be able to help increase the talent that we currently have and build even more for the future,” Stevenson said.