Blind Piano Tuner (Texas Country Reporter)

He may have lost his sight by the time he was twelve, but he never lost his musical spirit.

Dan Kessinger
Tyler, Tx

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Video Script:: 

I usually always leave my tools right on the floor and get up and down and some people ask me how I am in my age how I can get up and down like I do and there's no problem I'm still glad that I'm able to do that hammers of wrenches and screws are the everyday tools dan Kessinger keeps by his side but you won't find Dan at a construction site you'll find him at his home workshop in Tyler Texas hello hello are you good how are you I'm right on in where Dan begins his day's work searching for the perfect pitch so Dan is this piano out of tune yes in serious how can you tell I can't tell that well I guess I've got a train here [Music] note by note Dan listens carefully to the vibrato is radiating off the strings his fingers dance delicately across worn keys as he gives this instrument new life piano tuning is a sensory experience and Dan does it with one less sense than the average you are born with glaucoma do you remember having eyesight my parents did had no idea at all that there was anything wrong with eyes until I was 4 years old at that time I can still see colors you still seem to get around I would ride my bicycle in a steep hill but I'd ride my bike up and down that Hill and somehow the neighbors learn to stay out of my way [Laughter] [Music] after years of teaching then went back to his roots in both music and woodworking along with the help of his assistant dan transformed a beat-up grand piano that had seen better days into a masterpiece destined for the concert hall and the owners reaction made an realize this was the right career for him oh so she came by to look at it and she actually broke down and cried because the piano had become gorgeous and it sounded gorgeous and that was real work rewarding feeling for me we all have our favourite musicians who inspire us through their songs well in the case of Dan Kessinger it's the man working behind the scenes who inspires us his blindness has never deterred him from his passion for pianos practicing the art of perseverance a craft he hopes to continue for many years to come some people would think your loss of sight would be a handicap but it doesn't seem that way to you it doesn't impede me at all and in doing this job and I plan to work for many more years I read it an article that there was one hundred year old penitent believe it or not who was living in an assisted living and who was still turning penis you plan on that being you maybe not a hundred [Music]