You may know the music, but how well do you know the man behind it? Ronnie Milsap is a country music legend with a staggering 40 No. 1 hits, but Ronnie the person is just as impressive.
His parents lived in extreme poverty and when his mother found out Ronnie had been born blind, she gave him up, embarrassed to have a sightless child. Almost immediately he showed an aptitude for music, and by the age of 8 he was declared a violin virtuoso. He also mastered guitar, piano and other instruments.
It wasn't long before rock 'n roll worked its way into his life, and by 1971, he fell in love with country music. In 1976 he had become a superstar with six consecutive No. 1 singles. Soon after, he was awarded a Grammy, a host of Country Music Awards and more No. 1 hits.
Today, Ronnie is 74 years old and back with his first gospel music release, "Then Sings My Soul."
Click here to meet others who have overcome obstacles in life.
To listen to other interviews with country music superstars, check out:
-- Tanya Tucker
-- Donna Fargo
-- Charley Pride
-- Naomi Judd
-- Mel Tillis
-- Brenda Lee
-- Larry Gatlin
Total Length: 09:00 Views: 4,499 Comments: 3 Favorited: 1 Rating: 5 Votes: 2
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blind - ronnie milsap - gb rocks - country music - overcoming obstacles - ray charles - grammy - music
Entertainment - Music, Living, Health, Entertainment, GB Topics - Big Names, GB Topics - Overcoming Obstacles, GB Topics - Unforgettable Characters, Living - Religion & Spirituality, Health - Disabilities, GB Exclusives - GB Radio Show
grammy - country music - overcoming obstacles - gb rocks - blind - ray charles - music - ronnie milsap
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Gayle merrill
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Posted 4:27am September 5th, 2009Thanks for your portrait of Ronnie, I too fell in love to one of his most famous songs and loved how real he always sounded
Empress of Ka-Ching
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Posted 12:08pm September 3rd, 2009I am so glad to see Ronnie has done another album. I had the privledge of meeting him at the CMA years ago. I introduced myself and told him my husband and I were married with one of his songs. He was so nice, he walked around with ME on his arm for the longest time. He is truely a kind and loving man. Not at all "too proud."
Thanks for having him on GB!!
Diane
campertim8849
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Posted 7:55pm August 30th, 2009I heard Ronnie live @ Caesars’ in Windsor, Ontario, Canada within the last year & enjoyed his music more than I ever had. He is not a show-off like a lot of artists; he is a very modest man with talents overflowing. We don't give people with disabilities enough credit for who they are & what they have to share. If one didn't know Ronnie was blind, you would hardly know. Ronnie spoke & sung right from the heart & you can tell it's genuine. A few days after his show I bought some of his music on CD & DVD & continue to enjoy his music. Thanks for interviewing Ronnie & I will be looking for his gospel albums.