Kevin Costner is
singing a different tune

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

He’s danced with wolves, sailed a Waterworld, and built a field of dreams.
He portrayed a top adviser to John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Played a serial killer. And appeared as Eliot Ness.
And there have been more film roles for actor Kevin Costner — more than 40 overall since the early ’80s — but perhaps none that adds more pleasure to his life than when he sings lead vocals with his country-rock band Modern West.
Costner and his six-member band will appear on Aug. 1 at 9 p.m. at the House of Blues in Atlantic City. The following night, Aug. 2, Costner will share stories about his background and film career during a stop at Caesars Circus Maximus Theater, then take questions from the audience.
Known primarily as an actor, Costner concedes that audiences are sometimes confused to find him fronting a country band. And when they learn of this side job, he also concedes, it’s possible that people decide to catch the show because of Costner’s celebrity status, rather than a curiosity to see if this guy can sing.
"But that’s OK," Costner said. "I’m not naïve. I realize some people may come to see me just to see Kevin Costner and see what he can do. But I need to get past that myself."
Costner was born in California in 1955. In his teens he sang in a Baptist church choir, developing an early love of music.
"Growing up in Compton, I loved Motown," he recalled. "And when it came time, one of the reasons I chose Whitney Houston to star in The Bodyguard was because the first girl I thought was truly beautiful was Dianna Ross, and Whitney reminded me of her.
"I also grew up in the sixties listening to all the popular music of the time — Jim Croce, James Taylor, Carole King. Carole had a great influence on me, especially when ‘they’ thought she wasn’t good-looking enough to perform her own songs," Costner said. "She taught me not to be afraid and to just do what it is you really want to do. Of course, I couldn’t write music like those guys, but I could follow Carole’s lead."
And so, making music continued to be one of Costner’s dreams — along with making movies. And though he made his film debut at 19, full-blown movie-star status didn’t arrive until 1987 when he starred as Eliot Ness in The Untouchables, and had the leading role in the thriller No Way Out that same year.
Still, it wasn’t until age 35 that Costner peaked by directing and starring in Dances With Wolves in 1990, garnering Oscars for best picture and best director among its seven Academy Awards.
He followed that with Revenge, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, JFK, The Bodyguard and Waterworld, among many others.
His latest film, which Costner stars in and produced, is Swing Vote, the story of an affable loser whose vote will decide an election. It opens in theaters on Aug. 1.
"I financed the movie, so I obviously believe in it, although others didn’t think it worthwhile," he said. "But I thought of it as a purely American movie, and I guess I’m quintessentially an American actor, so I decided to make it. And I’m very proud of the result."
He’s also proud of his band and the music they make. And just like his movies, Costner said, he never tries to duplicate performances.
"Musically speaking, every crowd is different. Every evening can start out with a different opportunity for an exchange so that something original and magical can happen," Costner explained. "Whether it does or doesn’t isn’t what’s important. It’s just realizing the fact that the opportunity is there that’s important."
Today, looking at both his movies and his music, and explaining how he enjoys both, Costner does admit that nothing takes the place of live music.
"Obviously, that’s more fun to do than sitting in a trailer waiting to go on, do your lines, and then coming back to your trailer to wait for the next call," he said. "It’s nice to be with a gang. When the drums or the guitar starts, you can’t help but feel that blood pumping through your body. I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing when we perform, but at the end of the day, I do know I’m happy when I’m playing."
A grounded family man with four children, Costner recently became the father of a new son. "I take him with me when I travel so he’s not just sitting home somewhere," the actor said. "And I hope someday, when my son looks back on my body of work, he will see that I chose to have a really individual career. It might not have been the best career decision. Maybe backing up a Brink’s truck would have been better in the long run, but dad wasn’t that smart.
"I do want him to be fearless, and in order for him to achieve that, I need to live my life that way and have good judgment about the things I do," Costner said. "I do want my son to know that I lived a life that really was not fearful." ••

If you go . . .

Kevin Costner and Modern West will perform 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at the House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J. Tickets range from $37 to $29. For information, call 1-609-236-BLUE.
On Aug. 2, Kevin Costner: Up Close and Personal features the actor in a discussion and question-and-answer session at 9 p.m. at Caesars Circus Maximus Theater, 2100 Pacific Ave. Tickets are $50, $40 and $30. Call the box office, 1-800-677-7469, for information.
Tickets also are available at Ticketmaster at 1-800-736-1420.