the list of 9 for september 25, 2007:
NINE LEGENDARY BLIND SINGERS
It's interesting to note how many notable blind musicians there have been over the past century orso. (I suppose deaf singers would be more interesting, but...) You could say that, owing to theirsightlessness, these people turned to music to make their lives more meaningful (and let's notforget those who chose not to use their vocal chords, including jazz pianists Art Tatum and GeorgeShearing), but it was their immense talents that made our own lives more meaningful as well. (Oh,and for those of you who weren't aware, Roy "Pretty Woman" Orbison was not blind. He justliked to wear sunglasses.)
- Stevie Wonder. Signed, sealed, delivered, he's blind.
- Ray Charles. I actually got to see Ray Charles twicebefore he passed away. In neither instance did he sing. Unfortunately. He just humbly accepted twoof probably hundreds of "career achievement" awards that were given to him near the end of hislife.
- Blind Lemon Jefferson. There have been many well-knownblind blues musicians through the years. Well-known to blues aficionados, anyway. The 90's band Blind Melon took their name from him, though those hippie white boys all had working eyeballs.
- Andrea Bocelli. Proving that not only blind AfricanAmericans can become famous singers, this Italian icon, known for applying his operatic tenor toboth schmalz and the classics, is one of the most famous performers in the world today.
- Dianne Schuur. Back to the jazz world we go to find Schuur -the only female on the list, and probably the most famous blind woman since Helen Keller.
- Jose Feliciano. One of the best-known "Hispanic" musicians (pre-Gloria Estefan), you may best know Jose from his monster Christmas hit "Feliz Navidad."
- Jeff Healey. Young(ish) Canadian jazz/bluessinger-guitarist who plays with his guitar on his lap.
- Ronnie Milsap. Country music's first - and, I guess, only - blind superstar.
- The Five Blind Boys of Alabama. I think it's veryinteresting how these blind singers cross all musical genres, from pop to jazz to opera to country and, of course, to gospel, which is the bread and butter for the Five Blind Boys.
|