Eddie Adcock is a pioneering 5-string Bluegrass banjo player, who made his name first with Smokey Graves & His Blue Star Boys, then with The Country Gentlemen, and for the last 30 years with his wife Martha. During his early career, he was able to support himself through a variety of odd jobs, including semi-professional boxing, and professional racing, where he earned 34 straight wins in his car, Mr. Banjo. Recently, his wife noticed Eddie’s banjo ability had declined due to a shaky right hand he developed. In October 2008, Adcock underwent brain surgery to repair the hand tremors he suffered from using a series of electrodes and a pacemaker. HE PLAYS BANJO THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF HIS SURGERY. My friends, this man is amazing.
From Wikipedia:
“I came up in music the hard way and learned to be a trouper fast. Some of those early days were pretty rough, and I’ve been stomped, cut and kicked; but I never went through hell like this — it was the most painful thing I’ve ever endured. And it was risky. But I did it for a reason: I’m looking forward to being able to play music the way I did years ago prior to getting this tremor. It means that much to me. I’m far from being done!”
In a year when people have been primarily concerned with mindless political drudgery, the collapse of our financial market, and countless atrocities going on across the world, this story of a legend taking a chance with his own life and the wonder of modern medicine in order to continue to provide hope and entertainment to people and restore his gift is a revelation. I hope we can all wish him the best in recovery, and hope to see him play in the near future.
