Exclusive Q&A: Ex-Panther Jonathan Stewart on current team, new fundraiser, music

Jonathan Stewart couldn’t keep away from Charlotte for long.

Stewart, the Carolina Panthers’ all-time leading rusher and current New York Giants running back, will return to the city where he made his name next weekend — only, he’s not coming back for football reasons.

Really, it’s something much bigger than that.

Stewart and his wife, Natalie, are hosting their inaugural Fall Ball on Nov. 2 at the Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, a gala that will benefit the Charlotte-based nonprofit youth arts program, Inspire the Fire. Stewart became involved with ITF last year, his final season with the Panthers, and was so moved by that experience he wanted to create a more lasting fundraiser.

In fact, last August, around the time President Donald Trump called NFL players who knelt in protest during the national anthem “sons of bitches,” Stewart and several of his teammates met with a group of ITF children and discussed real-life issues. It was an opportunity not only for the kids to ask players about social issues, but also for the players to see how the children expressed themselves through art and music.

And the expected 30-minute meeting? Well, the players and kids ended up sticking around for three hours.

“That (meeting) really set the tone for the event we had last year where we had an art auction,” Stewart told the Observer Monday. “It was cool because we used a lot of the kids’ art that they created during that time where we sat down and talked with them. They were able to raise money on the stuff that they created, and at the end of the day, it’s called Inspire the Fire — if that doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what will.

“If kids aren’t playing sports, this is what they want.”

Stewart spoke to the Observer exclusively about his own background with music, why he wanted to establish a more permanent fundraiser for ITF — tickets for the Fall Ball will be available until Oct. 30, and while the event is selling out quickly, any remaining tickets will be available at the door — as well as his thoughts on the current Carolina Panthers and their recent comeback against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The below interview has been edited for brevity and clarity:

Q. For those who aren’t familiar with your story, how did you first get into music as a kid?

A. Music has always been a part of my life. I sang in the church choir, I played the piano by ear ever since the third or fourth grade, and it’s just been something that has been a part of my young life.

I just enjoy music. It’s been a passion of mine, and it’s been a way for me to kind of escape, especially with football. It’s that one crazy dynamic of life, where you’re a barbarian or a gladiator on the field, and being able to take your mind to a temporary place is always important. Music does that for me.

Q. So was music something that just came naturally to you, or did your family encourage you to get involved with it?

A. It’s something I was naturally drawn to. Again, music has been something that I’ve had such a passion for. We listened to music on days when we used to have to clean up on Saturdays — it was the first thing you’d hear in the morning. It was pretty much a siren for, ‘Get up and clean.’ (laughs)

Being able to play the piano by ear has definitely been something fun for me, to take a crack at songs I hear on the radio or look up on YouTube. Sometimes I’ll go throughout the day and be like, ‘Man, I can’t wait to try that song I just heard on the radio.’

As I’ve gotten older, especially in college, you have free time and you try to figure out how to make music. I watched a Kanye West video — I don’t always like saying that (laughs) — but he’s obviously a brilliant mind in production, and when I looked at a music video of his making a beat in college, my mind kind of went to a whole ‘nother level of creating my own music.

Q. How often would you say you still play, say, in the course of any given week?

A. I’ve actually been playing a lot more lately. In the past two weeks, I’ve probably been able to mess around on my keyboard at least five times. So yeah, I look forward to the days when I can really do that — and we’re building a studio in my house, so I’ll be able to do that every day if I wanted.

Q. So given your background with music, what does it mean to you to be able to put on this Fall Ball and hopefully turn it into an annual event?

A. It means a lot. I mean, there are so many talented kids out there, whether its in music or the arts. We have brilliant kids we’re able to track through science, math, but the first thing that goes with school funding, it’s the arts programs. And that’s not fair to them because there’s some really talented and brilliant kids in those avenues, and I think it’s important for us to give them the chance to express their passions and to pursue their dreams.

It’s just like sports. For me, sports was the way to have a schedule and stay out of trouble, to learn what teamwork meant, to make sure I had good grades in order for me to play football. So it’s creating a structure and an importance of something that they can work towards and have an accountability structured into their lives outside of just school.

So this (gala) is important to me because I just want to be a part of expanding that in Charlotte, and there’s a lot of single parents, single mothers, that don’t have the ability to stay home with their kids and give a lot of attention or finances to their kids. And so I think having that available in Charlotte will definitely be a good thing.

Q. Now that you’re playing in New York, you easily could have opted to have this event closer to you. How much more special is it to be able to host this in Charlotte?

A. We’re here in New York and having a great time, but Charlotte is always going to be our home. We’re building a house there, and it’s really cool just to know that with this event, and it being me and Natalie’s second year being involved with ITF, that we have the backing and the support of people in the Carolinas, and some of the Panthers that I’m still close with and in contact with. They’re going to be there to support, so that just means so much — whether it’s respect for me or appreciation for what these kids are capable of, and the talent that they have. It’s going to be a great event.

Q. So since you’re building a house here, does that mean you want to end up in Charlotte long-term whenever you retire?

A. Oh for sure. I’ve been there 10 years, and I think that’s probably the longest I’ve ever been anywhere in my life (laughs). Charlotte’s home for us, so we’re excited to do a lot of work in the community and raise our kids there, and live old and eat good. Especially with my wife’s cooking (laughs).

Q. You mentioned that some of your old teammates like Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen will be there at this year’s event. How often do you stay in touch with those guys?

A. I always shoot them a text, or they’ll shoot me one here or there after certain games. I’m always watching their games. Like Sunday (against Philadelphia) was a nail-biter. But like it was weird just seeing how they responded to that, and that fourth quarter. I was having this feeling of, ‘Oh, they’re about to win this game,’ because it’s a familiar feeling. So just knowing those guys, it’s been exciting to watch them.

Q. You weren’t able to play against your former team earlier this year when the Panthers hosted the New York Giants (Stewart was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury on Sept. 28) — what were the emotions of watching that game like?

A. You know, obviously I wanted my team to win — that’s just the way it is (laughs). But I was definitely smirking when certain old teammates of mine would make certain plays here or there, but I wanted them to lose (laughs).

Not like in a salty way. Just more of a, if we win, it’s a better record for us. Unfortunately they won and we have an opportunity Monday to trend upwards, but we’ll see.

Editor’s note: The New York Giants lost 23-20 to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday.

Q. Were you surprised at the way the Panthers came back against the Eagles?

A. Not really. It was kind of one of those things where, if you have enough time, those guys can really make anything happen it seems like.

Q. Last question: For the people who do go to the Fall Ball, any chance they get to hear a little something, a little treat from you?

A. Anything’s possible, really (laughs). There’ll be a piano there, I’ll tell you that. All I know is, when you come to this event, when you come to any of these ITF events, you go to a practice or a show, if you’re in a car or a bus with these kids, you’ll leave inspired.

I know that.

This story was originally published October 23, 2018 at 12:48 PM.