Blind Musician Learning Instruments By Ear
North Carolina musician Angel Paez is pursuing his dream of a career in country and bluegrass music after teaching himself to play six instruments entirely by ear. Born blind, Paez became fascinated by music while listening to instruments at church as a child and began teaching himself to play, starting with piano before learning instruments including accordion and violin without formal instruction. His talent eventually led him to win a local Spanish-language radio competition and he performed at the White House as a kid. Paez has since been nominated twice by the Carolina Country Music Awards for both Musician of the Year and Best Fiddler of the Year. While he says fame isn’t his ultimate goal, he hopes to build a sustainable career doing what he loves, support his family, and continue collaborating with other musicians. Paez says each success has helped build his confidence and reinforced his belief that he can continue pushing beyond his own doubts.
Image via People
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