John Bayless

I'm Kay Brown.

My guest is John Bayless, a renowned musician who has faced and overcome challenges beyond imagining, and a documentary about his life, Left Alone Rhapsody, that's recently become available for streaming on Amazon.

Welcome, John.

Thank you for having me.

Really so pleased to and so interested to learn about your life.

At age 25, as a protege of Leonard Bernstein, John Bayless debuted at Carnegie Hall, performing Rhapsody in Blue with full orchestra.

His jaw-dropping technical prowess at the piano initiated a 30-year-long concert and recording career as a solo pianist, composer, and improviser.

At 54, a left brain stroke immobilized his dominant right side, and soon after, his husband Bruce died of cancer, and the music stopped.