“Ian Dury (1942-2000), that ‘flaw of the jungle’, produced a remarkable and sustained body of work that explored issues of disability, in both personal and social contexts, institutionalisation, and to a lesser extent the pop cultural tradition of disability”, George…
Jerome Felder AKA Doc Promus 1925–1991. Writer of popular songs, blues singer and polio survivor
Brooklyn-born Jewish Jerome Felder reinvented himself first as a blues singer, renaming himself Doc Pomus (1925-1991), then emerged as one of the most brilliant songwriters of the early rock and roll era. His songs embody a greater emotional depth and…
Joni Mitchell 1943– Singer Songwriter. Polio survivor
Joni Mitchell ~1943 Singer Song Writer Polio Survivor From Wikipedia, Roberta Joan Mitchell, CC (née Anderson; born November 7, 1943), professionally known as Joni Mitchell, is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Drawing from folk, pop, rock, and jazz, Mitchell’s songs often reflect social and environmental ideals as well…
Ray Charles 1930–2004, Blind Rhythm and Blues Singer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), known professionally as Ray Charles, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and composer. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called “Brother Ray”. He was often referred…
Itzhak Perlman 1945– Polio-surviving classical violinist
Itzhak Perlman (Hebrew: יצחק פרלמן; born 31 August 1945) is an Israeli-American violinist, conductor, and music teacher. Over the course of his career, Perlman has performed worldwide, and throughout the United States, in venues that have included a State Dinner at the White Househonoring Queen Elizabeth…
Andrea Bocelli 1958– Opera singer, blind
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Andrea Bocelli, (Italian pronunciation: ; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Celine Dion has said that “if God would have a singing voice, he must sound a lot like Andrea…
Who is Johnny Crescendo 1945–
This month (March 2015) is the 25th Anniversary of Richard Rieser and Micheline Mason’s report ‘Disability Equality in the Classroom: A Human Rights Issue’. To celebrate this milestone, the authors are holding a two-day conference from 20-21 March, a highlight…
Robert Wyatt 1945– Wheelchair-using musician
Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945) is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine,with a long and distinguished solo career. He is married to English painter and songwriter Alfreda Benge. Early life Wyatt was born in Bristol. His…
It’s Time to Confront the Erasure of Disability in Hip-Hop
It’s Time to Confront the Erasure of Disability in Hip-Hop (Above: Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”, 2014) “When I was little…I had got into an accident and it gave me congenital glaucoma in both of my eyes,” rapper Fetty…
4 Wheel City Hip Hop
4 wheel city is a New York based duo of two black disabled wheelchair using rappers both injured by gun shots who promote disability equality and anti violence.