Hey there all here's my interview with a fellow blind musician who answers to Jeff Albertini, A.K.A. The Blind Rocker
How'd you get started in music? I started falling in love with music at the age of 4, listening to Elvis Presley with my father and singing for my aunts and uncles. That is what gave me the itch to sing and perform. By the time I was a teenager, I started singing with my local church, Faith Assembly of God, where the choir director was very surprised at my vocal range from bass to second tenor. I continued singing in church until the age of 43. After that, I lost most of my vision, due to diabetic retinopathy. After battling depression, addiction and even suicidal ideations, music helped me to heal and reclaim my life. My fiancé Gina talked me into a tryout and I joined a Houston cover band called Storm Surge. This led me to my original rock band, Down For Days, where I started to learn how to write lyrics and put them with melodies. This came natural due to all the church singing that I have done in my past, which taught me that nothing is wasted. I then got hooked up with the “Iron Oxide Project” through Desert View Records in Palm Springs, CA by meeting Mike Rizzio, the owner of Desert View Records on LinkedIn. I began to write lyrics to music recorded from the band “Iron Oxide” and recording in a local studio to send back to Mike and the boys. Although this was my first attempt at writing lyrics and melodies, the first two songs turned out so good, that he asked me to write a full album. I am currently in the process of writing that now and plan on traveling to his studio this fall to record and have a jam session with the fellas.
Who are your inspirations or influences? My influences and inspirations are Elvis, Bob Seger, Michael Jackson, Metallica, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Chris Stapleton and more.
What advice would you offer aspiring performers? Never quit. Know what you have. Don’t be afraid to reach out and make connections. You never know who you are going to be connected to. Dream big. God gave you the talent, so use it and see the magic happen.
How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers? I like to mix R&B, heavy metal and rock. With all my years singing gospel in the church, I developed a very blues oriented style. If Chris Stapleton and James Hetfield of Metallica could have a baby, I would be that offspring!
Any new gigs or albums in the future? The Iron Oxide project is in full swing. My first singles “Every Day is Tomorrow” about the day I woke up with vision loss and realized I would never see the same again, and “Sins Unspoken” are both available for listening at this link.
https://desertviewrecords.com/
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