World's best blind musicians open up on challenges in Scottish radio series

Sally Clay, Scotland’s first blind theatre musical director, still bristles with anger when she remembers how, ready for a night out clubbing with colleagues, she was turned away by bouncers at a venue in Dundee because her cane was “too dangerous”.

But rather than let the incident define her, Clay’s story of overcoming adversity, discrimination and unemployment and making it in the music business can be heard on ‘Blind Notes’ – a seven-part series of radio interviews featuring blind musicians from around the world.

The line-up, which features all genres of music from jazz to pop and classical, includes the legendary Robin Millar, CBE, multi-instrumentalist and record producer who has 140 gold and platinum discs to his credit as well as the ten million-selling ‘Diamond Life’ by Sade.

Irish Voice winner Andrew Begley. Picture: Tom Watkins/Shutterstock

Millar will reveal how he staged a fight with crew while recording in France to mask his failing eyesight and so he could return to the UK to see his wife.

Andrea Begley, Irish winner of ‘The Voice UK’ in 2013, tells how she turned up late for the life-changing audition and Grammy award-winning US jazz pianist and singer Diane Schuur also features.

Schuur describes how she moved soul legend Stevie Wonder to tears with her rendition of ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’ at the Kennedy Honours tribute.

The hour-long conversations begin this Wednesday at 6pm on award-winning RNIB Connect Radio, Europe’s first radio station for people with sight loss, based in Partick, Glasgow.

RNIB Connect Radio presenters Ravi Sagoo and Sally Clay

The Royal National Institute for Blind People Scotland, the sight loss charity, say the interviews showcase the remarkable resilience and perseverance of musicians who have found success in the music business.

Challenges faced by visually-impaired musicians include learning Braille music, organising networks of friends and helpers to help transport them to gigs and arranging non-visual cues for live performances.

Clay, 41, originally from London, who sings and plays piano, said: “I never, ever got a letter of apology from the night club. But I did speak out about it because I didn’t want it happening to someone blind and younger than me who might lose their confidence and never go out again.

“Despite that, Scotland is where it all kicked off for me. I saw an advert in The Stage newspaper when I was about 24 years old for musicians and actors with disabilities and just went for it.

“But being a blind musician means you can get pigeon-holed and people can instantly think of Andrea Bocelli or Ray Charles rather than what you are yourself.

“It means I’ve had to work harder than other musicians. I’ve really had to learn to stand up for myself.”

Presenter Ravi Sagoo, who himself has the eye condition keratoconus causing blurred vision, said: “It’s difficult enough to break through in the music industry and I wanted to explore the challenges facing blind musicians and see how they had conquered the industry.

The other musicians in the series are Baluji Shiravastav, CBE, Indian sitar maestro and leader of the Inner Visions Orchestra of blind musicians; Welsh opera singer and lockdown internet star Anne Wilkins and Ricky McKinnie, leader of the Blind Boys of Alabama Gospel singing group.

‘Blind Notes’ has been produced by Glasgow-based Demus Productions with support from the Audio Content Fund, a Westminster Government fund.

‘Blind Notes’ broadcasts on Wednesdays from 21 July at 6pm and repeated on Saturdays at 8pm. It can be heard on RNIB Connect Radio on 101FM in the Glasgow area and across the UK on Freeview 730. Online at www.rnibconnectradio.org.uk