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Press Enterprise

April 19, 2010

Blind since birth, 'American Idol' finalist recounts struggle

Paul Alvarez/Special to The Press-Enterprise Scott MacIntyre, who has been blind since birth, talks with visually impaired student Victor Galvez during his Cal State San Bernardino appearance Tuesday for the 21st annual DisAbility Awareness Event.

By Peter Surowski Special to The Press-Enterprise

In Scott MacIntyre's 24-year-long life, he earned his master's degree in music, toured the world and won eighth place on the "American Idol" television show.

And he has been blind since birth.

Tuesday, MacIntyre sang, played piano and told his story to an auditorium of students and the public during a free performance at California State University, San Bernardino.

MacIntyre rose to fame as a finalist last year on the eighth season of "American Idol." He was the first blind finalist in the show's history.

Paula Abdul, one of the three judges in the competition, told MacIntyre during one of the shows he is "an inspiration to the entire world through your commitment, through your talent."

The performance was part of the university's 21st annual DisAbility Awareness Event.

MacIntyre's musical ability stands on its own, regardless of his disability, said Robert Knop, one of the university's music professors.

"He's being recognized for who he is and what he does, not what he can't do," Knop said.

Something that happened on the "American Idol" show illustrates the need to raise awareness about disabilities, MacIntyre said.

After one of MacIntyre's performances on the show, MacIntyre recalled, Ryan Seacrest held up his hand to give him a high five. "(Seacrest's hand) just hung up there for a few seconds. I didn't see it because I was blind," MacIntyre said.

MacIntyre heard people talking about it on every television talk show the next morning, he recalled. "It was the high-five heard around the world."

"I went on American Idol to show someone less than perfect, someone with a physical impairment, blindness, can accomplish their dream," MacIntyre said.

He started playing piano at the age of 3 because it was one of the few things he could do despite his blindness, he said.

"I couldn't play sports growing up. I'd get killed playing baseball. I can't track a ball flying through air," MacIntyre said. "I'd be inside playing piano."

He realized at a young age piano is his passion. "Music has totally compensated for my lack of vision. I made my ears into my eyes," he said.

When he was only 14 years old, he was admitted into Arizona State University's Barrett Honors College and Herberger College of Fine Arts.

He graduated summa cum laude when he was 19 and went on to earn his master's degree in music at Royal Holloway, University of London and the Royal College of Music as the Marshall and Fulbright scholar.

While earning his degree, MacIntyre had a life-changing experience, he recalled at the event. His kidneys failed.

He slipped into a depression, he said. "It was a very dark time, a very different time. I couldn't even play music in my own living room."

After a two-year-long struggle and 10 months of dialysis the wife of one of his former professors at Arizona State University donated a kidney to him.

He considered it a second chance at life and, shortly after, decided to enter the "American Idol" contest.

"Now, every time I step on a stage it's like a miracle to me," he said.

After falling short of winning the title, he stepped into spotlights across America as part of the "American Idols Live!" tour in 2009.

In March, he released "Heartstrings," his first album since he appeared on the show and his seventh release overall. It was No. 18 on iTune's pop album chart, MacIntyre said.

"If there's anybody who has ability, rather than disability, he's living proof right here," Robert Knop, the music professor, said.

His new album is available on iTunes and at www.scottmacintyre.com.

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