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‘Karaoke group shows the power of song’

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

From the Des Moines Register:

Cy Arnett and three other men with intellectual disabilities rock out at a karaoke bar in Des Moines each week. Between performances, they live in a group home.

Bar owner Billy Bryant said at first some of the regulars at Billy Joe’s Pitcher Show didn’t understand the “Greased Lightning boys,” as they’re called. “To be honest, it was a little disturbing for them,” he said.

He moved the crew to Sundays, where there were fewer customers, and thought he’d only  let them stay until the big audiences came back for football season. But then … an excerpt:

… Bryant watched as the boys and their followers grew. He soon realized what the day means to them. They dress up, celebrate birthdays, and look forward to Sunday all week.

… He decided the boys could stay.

“I didn’t have the heart to turn them down,” he said. “There’s no place else for these kids to go.”

(Travis Leach, left, Cyron Arnett and Steven Jenkins rock out during karaoke at Billy Joe’s Pitcher Show in West Des Moines; Des Moines Register photo)

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More than 50 million people in the United States have disabilities, a number that is growing rapidly as the population ages. Experts say disability will soon affect the lives of most Americans. This blog attempts to explore what we know about disability, and to chronicle the efforts of people who are seeking new ways to address familiar challenges.

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