April 1958, a 23 year old gay man from Texas won the first International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. His album of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto became the first classical recording to sell one million copies. He was the first classical musician to get a ticker tape parade in NYC and later the cover of Time magazine. The events and the fame that followed never diminished his humility and kindness, but did accentuate his immense talent. And if you erroneously believe that his music isn’t still an influence, I suggest you watch the second video.