He knows his way around a tractor and old trucks. He enjoys snowmobiles and inventing things, takes honor and AP classes and just may be a star in the making.

Kalle Akkerman, 16, won the inaugural Austin’s Got Talent competition, held Oct. 24 at the Paramount Theatre.

His piano playing received the judges’ top score out of 34 contestants, and the Austin High School student will perform on stage at the Paramount Dec. 31 with Elvis impersonator Brad Boice.

“I thought it was wonderful,” says Paramount operations manager Scott Anderson, of Kalle’s performance. “He did an old time song, and did it very authentically and very well.”

Kalle has been playing piano since he was 5 and wowed the judges by playing and singing a rendition of “The Old Piano Roll Blues,” which he learned by watching a Liberace video.

Possibly more impressive is the fact that Kalle learned it by simply watching the video and never owned the sheet music.

“I probably watched it a few times,” he says.

His talents don’t stop there.

Last year, Kalle took second in a Minnesota young artists competition on the organ, and he’s been performing since he was 3.

“I took him to the nursing home,” says Kalle’s mom, Rhonda Akkerman. “I played guitar and he sang, “Polly Wally Doodle.”

Kalle’s musical talent may partly come from his mom, who played in a band until about 12 years ago. As a young boy, Kalle would frequent the band’s practices.

“I think he has a God-given talent for sure,” Rhonda Akkerman says. “Because he has a good ear and plus he can read music.”

Kalle’s free time is taken up by a load of hobbies, which include playing organ a few times a month at Congregational Church for spending money.

“He keeps busy,” Rhonda Akkerman says.

Some of his interests also include working on his 1956 International pick-up truck, which he’s passionate about.

“He’s usually got grease on his fingernails, so I have to tell him to wash his hands first because he can’t walk past the piano without playing it,” Rhonda Akkerman says.

Austin’s Got Talent was a collaboration of Anderson and Dennis Charnecki, who promotes shows at the Paramount.

“We knew there was so much talent in the area, and we wanted to allow people who don’t do this kind of stuff normally on the stage … to give them that very unique and fun experience,” Anderson says.

The top three contestants, including Kalle, second-place violinst Victoria Torkleson and third-place singer Teiler Miller, will perform Dec. 31 at the Paramount if all of their schedules are open.