Heavenly Sight: A Vision Out of Blindness
Throughout African American history there has been a plethora of talented and influential blind musicians. Author Lee Breuer states that “There is a general total world historical connection between blindness and mystical insight… The clearest representation of that of course in the United States is the black gospel singer.”
A 2004 study from the University of Montreal confirmed the existence of this “mystical insight,” as the study concluded that those who lose their sight at early ages can detect differences in tonal pitch better than the sighted, often leading to musical ability.
In honor of Black History Month, Murray Street Productions, a New York-based marketing and production firm, has produced a series of radio specials paying tribute to the rich history of blind musicians in the African American community.
Its research has generated a variety of original interviews and transcripts, while unearthing rare archival and commercial recordings. It has brought to life the stories of several influential blind musicians and shed insight onto their impact in the music industry.
The radio series has been playing on Public Radio International stations this month, and Murray Street Productions is now asking the public to help preserve its research in a complete audio documentary and multimedia website.
The company’s blind-friendly website, Heavenlysight.org, will bring the library of interviews, musical recordings, multimedia content, and blog posts to the public as a resource for education and entertainment. In order to obtain the funding needed to make Heavenlysight.org possible, Murray Street Productions launched a Kickstarter campaign, hoping to raise $18,000 for the design and development of the site. If you want to pitch in and help, visit Heavenly Sight’s Kickstarter page here.
