“Tonight was about being spontaneous; I don’t ever do the same show twice. Every concert should be different and in the moment with the people who are there,” said guitarist and composer Billy McLaughlin.
Many musicians all have their ups and downs. In the start of his career in 1988-1999 he gave 1,763 performances and in 1999-2006 he only did 14. Billy lost everything. He was at his lowest point. Within four years he lost his record deal, his publishing deal, his distributing deal, his agent, his business, his income, his marriage, his family, and his home.
“I just disappeared from sight,” said McLaughlin. “My condition was here and I was undiagnosed. I had to go from doctor to doctor. It’s so frustrating, that’s when you start to think maybe I’m crazy. Once I had a diagnosis I knew I could communicate. [Being diagnosed] Was a relief because in three years, my friends, family, and even I thought I was losing my mind. To finally go to a neurologist and have them know right away was like hallelujah! I’m not crazy!”
He was diagnosed with focal dystonia. This is an incurable neurological condition that affects a muscle or a group of muscles in a specific part of the body. In Billy’s case, his left hand, this should have ended his career.
“You can’t give up on your dreams, you focus on what’s broken, and that’s what I did for many years. Now I don’t think about what I can’t do, I think about what I can do,” said McLaughlin. “A great life lesson is where you think the problem is, isn’t where the problem is.”
Dystonia affects more than his guitar playing. It especially affects typing and playing the piano. When he types he can only use his thumb and index finger on his left hand and all five of his fingers on his right.
Billy had a come back, he may have not been able to play with his right hand but that didn’t stop him. He began to teach himself to play left handed. Most start out with the easiest song; Billy forced himself to play through the hardest song from the start. He had to come back to the music industry, he wasn’t about to let himself quit for good.
“I missed the family; you create a family across the country when you do what I do. You have people that you just love. My biggest motivation for me is what happens between the stage and the audience it’s magical. I’m lucky enough to experience that magic; that I can’t live without,” said McLaughlin.
Some people thought he was crazy but Billy always kept his focus towards the music itself. He can use a guitar in the way that other people don’t think of. As long as the musical message comes across it doesn’t matter what technique you use.
“I played that way [fingerstyle guitar] when I was healthy. Strumming a guitar has a rhythm, but playing both hands on the neck is a different rhythm, I love that. I’m kind of a rhythm guy. You have to pay attention; you have to not be afraid to follow your own dreams. Pay attention to what you feel in your heart,” said McLaughlin.
McLaughlin came to Buffalo for a concert on Thursday January 24th. This was not his first time coming here; he was here earlier in the fall of 2011. Billy is coming out with a book this spring on his experiences of dealing with Dystonia. Spanish teacher Daryl Boeckers organized the concert to pair with the upcoming book talk.
“I got an email this summer that he was coming out with a book. The concert was to pair with the book reading later on this spring. Billy has agreed to get us in one of his first prints,” said Boeckers.
Billy will be back this spring, not to play his music but to talk about his book Road to Reinvention with our high school staff.
“His music is excellent and his story is inspiring. I have followed his career since 1998. My wife and I went to a concert of his for one of our first dates,” said Boeckers.
