Musician Billy McLaughlin shares his story of Focal Dystonia

Billy McLaughlin is recognized internationally as a world-class guitarist, Emmy Award winning composer and inspirational keynote speaker who has appeared on Billboard’s Top-Ten Chart. Previously signed to Virgin Records’ Narada label, McLaughlin has 14 CD releases, 3 National Campus Entertainer of the Year Awards*, 5 Minnesota Music Awards and his decades of national concert touring earned him the Hall of Fame Achievement Award*.

But in 1999 McLaughlin vanished from sight as his career crumbled due to a little-known neuro-muscular disorder called Focal Dystonia. After suffering several years without a cure or even a diagnosis, this right-handed guitarist embarked on an unlikely attempt to regain his career by re-learning his instrument….left-handed!

His remarkable comeback is in the KPBS (San Diego) produced 2013 Emmy Award winning live concert program called Starry Night – Billy McLaughlin with Orchestra Nova highlighting McLaughlin’s extraordinary talent as both guitarist and international inspirational speaker. Now serving as Ambassador for Awareness for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, McLaughlin is the winner of the 2010 Public Leadership in Neurology Award** whose previous winners include Paul Allen, Julie Andrews, Leon Fleischer, and Michael J. Fox.

Find Billy's music at: www.billymclaughlin.com

Episode brought to you by: Integrated Brain Centers