Disabled people making music

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I've just been scrolling through my emails, and came across an interesting query:-

"Given the liberational/ inclusive aspect of punk rock/riot grrl/d.i.y why are there not more disabled people making music? i guess i'm trying to find a tradition of it, and i just wanted to look at the ways it has been dealt with, both by the artist, by the media and by the audience.i want to look at examples a little more contemporary than hank williams, ian dury and stevie wonder."

Any comments on this?

― Jerry (Jerry), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 08:49 (twenty-three years ago)

A 'tradition' of disabled music sounds worryingly like some attempt at creating a disabled music 'scene' to me.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 08:52 (twenty-three years ago)

We had a thread (more list based than discussional) on disabled musicians a few months back, if memory serves.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 09:01 (twenty-three years ago)

There's a lot of tone deaf musicians out there - if that's what you mean.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 09:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I wasn't aware that Hank Williams was disabled. In what way? And I can't say much of the music made by those three or Robert Wyatt or Ray Charles has much to do with their disability. There are odd tracks, but I can't say that I can see anything in Uptight or Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll that makes me think that there is a disabled music tradition. Why should there be?

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 10:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Ian Dury, Stevie Wonder

― Robin Goad, Tuesday, 3 September 2002 10:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I see what yer gettin' at - but a disabled music tradition, if they sang about their disabilities +/o plight, would come off about as inspired as Christian rock does. Best that there is no "tradition" per se..

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 11:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Vic Chestnut. Reynols. Daniel Johnston.

― tigerclawskank, Tuesday, 3 September 2002 13:07 (twenty-three years ago)

There's loads of blind musicians - Peters and Lee, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Boys of Alabama, Jake E. Lee, etc. I don't know if you could call it a tradition though. I think blind singers are/were very popular in the gospel arena, for their perceived curative properties or something daft.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 13:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Johnny Ray!

― Nicole (Nicole), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 13:12 (twenty-three years ago)

LETS GETBUSY..!!!!

― Kid (donut), Tuesday, 3 September 2002 22:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, blind musician are quite common. In the middle east too: Said Mekawy, Udi Hrant. Others I know of but can't remember at the moment.

― DeRayMi, Tuesday, 3 September 2002 23:10 (twenty-three years ago)

What about albinos like Yellowman?

― tigerclawskank, Wednesday, 4 September 2002 07:01 (twenty-three years ago)

What about one-armed drummers like Rick "Thunder God" Allen from Def Leppard?

― Rick, Wednesday, 4 September 2002 08:24 (twenty-three years ago)

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