COLUMBUS, Indiana — Columbus native and moonlighting singer David John Stevens found himself understandably yearning to be back home in Indiana Sunday for the Indianapolis 500.
Thousands of miles away at his home in Trondheim, Norway, the 45-year-old physician who specializes in rheumatology at University Hospital in Norway did a little more than merely wish to be close to his Hoosier roots. Last week, the 1993 Columbus North High School graduate listened to his Indy 500-inspired, original country tune “Let the Best Driver Win” on radio stations in the country — and did an interview with one.
His Facebook post about the song earned the attention and a social media like from another Columbus native singer whose music has been played nearly worldwide: Americana artist Tim Grimm, one of Stevens’s musical inspirations.
The song, which fittingly begins with the opening lyric, “Gentlemen, start your engines,” echoes the praises of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the qualifying, the crowds, the pre-race build-up and more.
“Indiana is a wonderful place and I wanted to capture the feeling of the celebration that surrounds the Indy 500 and the traditions that make it so special in the world of racing,” Stevens said by email.
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
