Bowing Was Inevitable

Kippy Marks, 52, is a self-taught violinist who's so talented that he doesn't need to play for his supper on the sidewalks of San Francisco.

..one day, in the fourth grade, his true calling came to light. He was giving a presentation to his class when the school orchestra walked in...

“I just watched the body mechanics of the man playing violin and saw the triangular shape he made with his body, and I knew I could do that too,” Marks said....“In that moment I knew that all I wanted to do was play the violin for the rest of my life,” Marks said.

When he arrived in San Francisco, he knew he wanted to get involved in the gay community. He began meeting charity groups and donating his time as a volunteer. After people heard his talents, he started getting gigs. He no longer needed to play in BART stations and began performing throughout the city, at farmers’ markets, corporate events and restaurants.

Black, gay, and never having taken a lesson, Kippy Marks overcame astronomical odds to make a living playing the violin "in 'the most expensive city in the world.'"

There have been so many feel-bad stories about San Francisco that it's nice to come across one that makes us feel good.