Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Ray Lawson.
Hi Kevin Ray, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My purpose on earth is to help empower others. Cedarstone School of Music is built on the foundation to “maximize your musical potential“.
As a child, I showed advanced musical talent – so my parents put me in traditional music lessons. I would always start with much excitement, but then quickly found out that my teachers were unable to help me with all of the music I heard in my head and heart. Lessons equated nothing but books on learning to read when I had a passion to write and make up songs and compose. I felt misunderstood, confused, and frustrated because my reading could not keep up with my ear or my imagination, and it was my creative soul that was reaching out for music, not the analytical side of my left brain.
I wanted to learn how to speak music and make my compositions come to life, but my teachers only knew how to get from page 10 to page 11 and chapter 3 chapter 4. My playing ability was years ahead of my ability to read and no one knew what to do with that. Cedarstone School of Music was built for that to never happen with any of our students.
I developed a system called destination-based learning. It is customized curriculum to help a student reach a clear destination of what they are hoping to accomplish. Customize curriculum is designed by each teacher to help the student meet those goals. Regardless of their skill level, we help every student maximize their potential and help them reach the destination they dream of.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Cedarstone began from a very pure, creative place. Teaching and pouring into students was as natural to me as breathing. The challenge was never doing the work. The real challenge was learning how to translate something that had always been instinctive and deeply personal into a clear, repeatable framework that others could carry forward with the same heart and excellence.
I had to learn how to put language to what had always been second nature. To define the mission, quantify the teaching methods, and create systems that would empower other educators to embody the same level of intentionality, musicality, and care. Communication, not just inspiration, became the key. That meant developing policies, training, and client experience structures that protected the heart of Cedarstone while allowing it to scale beyond me.
Only after that foundation was clear did I begin the second major challenge. Building the operational and administrative infrastructure to support true growth. Onboarding systems, scheduling logistics, tuition management, team culture, and the ability to serve hundreds of families with consistency and excellence.
The road was not easy, but it was deeply purposeful. Every complexity ultimately served the mission. Cedarstone is strong today because we took the time to do it the right way. Protecting the soul of the work while building something that could truly last.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Cedarstone, we pioneered a process we call Destination-Based Learning. Instead of following a one-size-fits-all lesson plan or simply moving from page 14 to page 15 in a book, we begin by identifying where a student wants to go, their personal destination, and then design a customized pathway to get them there.
For some students, that destination may be songwriting rooted in their own personal story. For others, it may be becoming a confident worship leader at church, performing in a school ensemble, playing in a club or local venue, or simply experiencing the joy, confidence, and mental benefits that music brings into everyday life.
At the same time, many younger students come in not yet knowing their destination, but they love music and their parents want to nurture that love. Those families simply want to give their child the best possible chance to succeed in something meaningful, to build confidence, stimulate brain development, and be shaped into a well-rounded and fulfilled human being through the arts.
We honor all of these paths equally. Some students arrive with a clear dream. Others arrive with pure curiosity. Our role is to guide, inspire, and open doors to what is possible. In both cases, we design a deeply intentional journey that is personal, joyful, and purpose-driven from the very beginning.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Nashville is an incredible place to live. What I love most is the unique blend of creative energy and genuine hospitality. It is a city filled with opportunity, yet grounded in kindness. There is a strong sense of community here. People support each other, collaborate generously, and truly want to see others succeed.
Nashville is a place where artists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries are empowered to grow, to experiment, and to become. It feels like a city where destinies are shaped. People come here, find clarity, and then go back out into the world to do meaningful things, not only in music but across education, business, media, and culture.
As for what I like least, it is simply that with so much rapid growth and opportunity, it can be easy for the pace of life to move very fast. But even in that, Nashville continues to find ways to protect its heart. That balance of opportunity, energy, and authenticity is part of what makes it so special.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cedarstonemusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cedarstonemusic?igsh=eHY1eGxrcThjbzN4
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1SvV5gNVng/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cedarstone-school-of-music/
- Twitter: https://x.com/cedarstonemusic?s=21
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cedarstoneschoolofmusic5540
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cedarstone-music-hendersonville?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cedarstone_music?lang=en
