At 2 1/2 years old, Dan had 80 percent of his skin burned off of his body. Numerous surgeries after, and he was left without hands. Tasks such as tying his shoes would take him years to accomplish, but once he did (as they say), the sky was the limit. Today, he is a renowned motivational speaker and drummer.

Before George

The young and vibrant Tracy Marie has had more life experience than many older folks.  With Congenital Dysplasia, two hip replacements, bullying and finally her musical success on stage, Tracy truly is a spokeswoman for musicians with unbreakable  drive.
Describe growing up and life now with congenital dysplasia.
When I was younger, it was difficult to keep [...]

Years of repetitive and long practice would eventually lead Badi to the biggest scare of her life. She developed Focal Dystonia–a debilitating neurological condition which attacks certain muscles that are overused. A musician afflicted with Focal Dystonia will sometimes lose all feeling in his or her hand. So, when Badi realized her hand was no longer working, a big question loomed over her head, “What do I do now?”

For a man weighing around 40 pounds, 33-year-old Simon carries a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. It’s harder to know what the consumer wants when many of the consumers are running to music-sharing websites. But Simon must press on, doing what he does best–finding and producing talent.

We musicians have two things in common: our love of music and our gift of a musical talent. And what do we do with the gifts we received that we love? We cherish them, take care of them and appreciate them.

Joanna Mosca landed in the top ten, ahead of Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson and Miley Cyrus on FMQB AC Chart in November 2009. She’s competing with people almost 20 years younger than her, but that does not bother her. It’s all about the music.

Cellist Dorothy Lawson talks about the fate of classical music and traditional performance. Does this new direction in classical music open up the door for all kinds of musicians of varying talents, ages and cultures?

My name is Alejandro Pinzón. I am a Mexican conductor and violinist born in the tropical land of Yucatán, México. I now live in Morgantown, West Virginia where I am working on my DMA in orchestra conducting. I study with Dr. Mitchell Arnold at West Virginia University. I am also the new string instructor and conductor of the string ensemble at Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, PA.

At 88-years-old, the feisty jazz drummer Foreststorn “Chico” Hamilton has a long legacy behind him, performing with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Buddy Collette, Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne.  Interviewing Foreststorn–he likes to remind people of his real name–was no easy task.  His answers were short and to the point. Read carefully.
“You’ve been in the [...]