There have been many musicians past and present who have varying degrees of disability, for example Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles were both visually impaired and they didn’t let their disabilities stop them, they still travelled the world and sang to huge crowds of people – Stevie Wonder is now 64 and he’s still touring and making fantastic music.
Although both Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles were very young when they lost their sight, some musicians have become less able later in life. The best example of this would probably be Beethoven – one of the best-known classical musicians, he gradually started losing his hearing around the age of 26 (its estimated). Determined not to let this stop him he too found ways to carry on doing what he loved, he would place a rod from his piano to his mouth and bite it. He learnt to play music by feeling the vibrations! I mean, how smart is that!?
Just before Christmas Channel 4 were promoting ‘Born Risky’, which was a feature about Viktoria Modesta, who they named the first ‘Bionic pop artist’. In the video she made with Channel 4, she sang her song “Prototype” in which you see her walking and dancing with various futuristic prosthetics; diamonds, lights and even one, which was a cone shape. Although the music may not be to your taste at the end there is a great scene where she wears this pointed prosthetic leg and dances. The Alternative Limb Project designed and created all the prosthetics in the video (we’ve mentioned them before, click here for more information).
Other musicians with disabilities are Rick Allen, the drummer from Whitesnake who lost his arm in a car crash. Another musician is Ian Dury who caught Polio as a child and had problems with mobility for the rest of his life. Melody Gardot, is a young American musician who actually got into music after being hit by a car when she was cycling. She had to learn to walk again and music therapy helped her regain her short-term memory and it just so happens that she has a gorgeous voice.
Some great examples of perseverance in the face of adversity. Something we’re hoping to support with our forthcoming concert BBS “MIX”. More of that to come but reserve the 14th April!?!
