True Survivor

"I wanted to cut that song years ago," acknowledges Kevin. "It's odd that it's kind of timely now, but we recorded it long before Sept. 11 and the message is always appropriate. It's a tribute to all those people who take the time to love and appreciate their fellow man. There are so many heroes in our daily lives who we overlook."

There are plenty of people who would call Kevin himself a hero. He overcame a life-threatening bout with bone cancer as a teen to become a platinum-selling star - and an inspiration - with hits such as "Nobody Knows" and "She's Sure Taking It Well." Throughout his medical ordeals, Kevin reveals, it was music that sustained him.

"I believe I'm alive because of music," he declares. His cancer has been in remission since 1990. "I'm a firm believer that music is the most powerful and influential tool there is. And through music, I want to spread a message of loving your fellow man and appreciating how precious life is."

To that end, Kevin's performances have been staples at hospital seminars and cancer-survivor celebrations around the country. Playing at events like that gave Kevin great satisfaction, while his record company went through a protracted shakeup. He eventually left the label, signing with the upstart Radio Records.

"I like being on an independent label," notes Kevin. "I'm just so much happier. At my old label, I was doing a lot of sitting instead of moving forward."

These days, Kevin is definitely moving forward. He and his wife of three years, Traci, are hoping to have a child, although the residual effects of Kevin's cancer makes that difficult. The two live in Columbia, Tenn., and often spend time with his brother-in-law, Neal McCoy, who is married to Traci's sister.

Kevin is also pushing ahead in his professional life, with a song on the upcoming One Less Tear benefit album for the American Cancer Society, and the pending release of his own new album early this year. And he continues his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which gave him his first break in the music business by helping him meet producer David Foster.

"I am, and forever will be, a 'wish child,'" says Kevin of his relationship to the national foundation. "It literally saves lives."