In a heartwarming narrative of friendship and resilience, the bond formed between journalist Steve Lopez and street musician Nathaniel Anthony Ayers is commemorated as they celebrate twenty years since their fateful meeting.
Lopez reflects on driving through Westlake, en route to visit Ayers at his nursing home, when it struck him just how long it has been.
“My God. Has it been 20 years?”
Their story began on a rainy winter day in 2005 when Lopez heard music coming from Pershing Square. There, he found Ayers playing a violin that had two missing strings, trying to regain his footing three decades after being forced out of New York’s prestigious Juilliard School due to mental health challenges.
Thus began a journey filled with music, challenges, and triumphs.
Music in Unlikely Places
As the years rolled on, neither Lopez nor Ayers could have foreseen the journey they would travel together. Their adventures took them to iconic venues such as Disney Hall, Hollywood Bowl, and even the White House, with Ayers referring to it all as ‘the music of the gods.’
During a recent visit, Lopez asked Ayers about their long-standing friendship.
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