Armless guitarist to play at youth rally

As a 16-year-old, Tony Melendez picked up the guitar and learned to play it by ear. Today, he is an internationally-known performer who has recorded four albums, made his rounds on the talk-show circuit and published his autobiography.

Mr. Melendez has achieved this success despite being born without arms. On April 26, the musician will perform for young Catholics of the Albany Diocese at a Sesquicentennial Youth Rally, to be held at Siena College in Loudonville.

The rally is sponsored by the Diocesan Youth Council and Office of Religious Education. In addition to his musical performance, Mr. Melendez will lead two workshops.

Originally from Rivas, Nicaragua, Mr. Melendez was born with no arms and a clubbed foot after the drug Thalidomide was prescribed for his mother during her pregnancy. Widely prescribed in the late 1950's and early 1960's, Thalidomide was later found to cause birth defects.

The Melendez family immigrated to the U.S. when Mr. Melendez was a year old so that he could have corrective surgery on his foot.

Strumming along

As a child, he developed an interest in music. "My dad had a guitar," the musician explained. "I would mess with it as a young boy."

During his teenage years, he decided to conquer the instrument and began to teach himself how to play using his feet. He used an alternate tuning to make the chords easier to play with his toes.

Adjustments to his guitar were not the only struggles Mr. Melendez faced as a teen. In the tenth grade, he entered public school after years of attending schools for the disabled. "I was the odd one totally," he remembered. "I felt tense and self-conscious."

Hopes and prayers

Like many teens, Mr. Melendez had no idea where life would lead him. He thought he might get an office job, perhaps working with computers, but prayed for a career in music.

"Everybody in my family sings and everyone has gone through the guitar," he explained. "I hoped and prayed that I would be doing something in the music field."

The future musician was determined not to give in to the word "can't" or let others take care of him: "I had to be bold and do it myself," he stated. "I prefer to do it myself."

His prayers were answered in 1987, when he was asked to perform for Pope John Paul II during the Pope's visit to Los Angeles. This globally-broadcast event propelled Mr. Melendez' career into high gear, sending him traveling throughout the U.S. and 14 other countries.

Today, he said, "I enjoy being on stage and singing, and hearing and seeing [the audience's] emotions." He added that his career would not be possible without his faith: "It's a huge part of my life."

Describing his acoustic music as being "somewhere between pop and folk," Mr. Melendez said he enjoys performing for young people. "They have energy and are very truthful," he said. "I don't do rap or heavy metal, but by the end they're on their feet. They get hope from what I do."

Never give up

While others might think it depressing to have his disability, Mr. Melendez has not let it get him down. "I don't feel I've been in a position to give up," he told The Evangelist. "I've never had that kind of anger. I want to live. When I look out of my eyes, I don't see a person without arms. I feel whole."

(The Sesquicentennial Youth rally will include Tony Melendez' performance, 29 workshops, dinner, a dance, social activities and a Mass celebrated by Bishop Howard Hubbard. Registration for the rally is being accepted until April 16. For information, call the ORE at 453-6630.)

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