Disabled Recording Artists
One area on which disabled people have made a strong contribution is in music, particularly pop music.
In addition, let's not forget the inventor of the record player, Thomas Edison
Michael Bolton
Disability: deaf in one ear (source: The Wellness Site)
Chart hits in the early 1990s include Time Love And Tenderness, Love Is A Wonderful Thing, and When A Man Loves A Woman
Cher
Disability: dyslexia (source: famous dyslexics)
Started in Sonny & Cher
Hits from 1960s (Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves)
to late 1990's (eg Believe)
Jason Donovan
Disability : Psoriasis (source: Wikipedia article on Jason Donovan)
Started as an actor on the Australian soap-opera Neighbours, in the late 1980s.
Had a number of hit singles - produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman - from 1988 into the early 1990s, including Too Many Broken Hearts and Nothing Can Divide Us.
Has since acted in a number of musical plays, including Joseph & His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and The Rocky Horror Show.
Ian Dury
Disability: movement/walking disability, resulting from polio
Hits from 1978 (Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick)
into 1980's
Recorded Spasticus Autisticus which was banned from
radio
Gareth Gates
Disability: Stutter (source: BBCi news report)
Despite coming second in ITV's Popstars programme, Gareth Gates went on to be hugely popular, with a string of hits including Unchained Melody, Anyone of Us, and Spirit In The Sky.
Barry Gibb
Disability: arthritis (source: Bee Gees World web page)
member of pop / disco band the Bee Gees
Billy Joel
Disability: asthma (source: Get Asthma Help - famous people)
Pop / rock artist with several hits in the 1970s, 80s and early 90s.
Hits include Uptown Girl (as covered by Westlife), We Didn't Start The Fire, and River Of Dreams
Liza Minelli
Disability: asthma (source: Famous people with asthma)
hits include "So Sorry I Said" and "Don't Drop Bombs"
Gary Numan
Disability: Aspergers (source: Wikipedia list of autistic people)
One of the pioneers of the "futurist" electronic music style, Gary Numan had a number of hits in the early 1980s - notably "Cars" and "Are Friends Electric"
Mike Nolan
Disability: Epilepsy (source: Famous people with epilepsy)
Singer in Buck's Fizz
Bucks Fizz had several hits in early 1980's, and won Eurovision song
contest in 1991 with Making Your Mind Up
Merrill Osmond
Disability: diabetes
one of The Osmonds, pop band from early 1970's
Disability: dyslexia (source: CBBC News article)
A former member of Five (sometimes spelt 5ive), a boy band popular at the turn of the 20th/21st century.
Toyah Wilcox
Disabilities:
Several hits in early 1980's, under the name "Toyah" (eg "Thunder In The Mountains")
Mari Wilson
Disability: diabetes (source: article in "Balance" magazine)
Had a few hits in the 1980's, including "Just What I Always Wanted" and "Wonderful".
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