October 2, 2012

Congratulations for Chris Thile, among the newly named MacArthur Geniuses (aka MacArthur Fellows). But what took them so long? Eighteen years ago (November 6, 1994), here's what Pete Wernick said in the first piece I wrote about the then-13-year-old Thile:

"I don't normally use the word 'genius,' but I have to say I think he's a musical genius, as much as I can define such a thing."

And in the last paragraph of the story, Chris's mother comments on the "genius" aspect of her boy:

Kathy Thile has little trouble keeping things in perspective. Chris is her 13-year-old son first, musical prodigy second. "We try not to think of it too much, I guess, because it's real important that we focus on the areas where he's not a musical genius," she says. "Like room cleaning. And he's distinctly not a genius in that area."

The full story (originally in the Chicago Tribune) is HERE.

More about Chris Thile: