Beneath any outstanding achievement is a story of persistent struggle, an unbending drive, and a devotion strong enough to persevere. This sentiment rings true for Akron, Ohio based guitarist Robert Peacock.
Robert has played guitar and studied music for most of his life. His dream of a music career sidetracked when an opportunity arose to join the team of an Akron icon. A job offer to be an electronic technician for the Goodyear Blimp was too good to turn down. This job saw him traveling the world, usually with a guitar in tow. While enjoying his new career, a strange set of events began. First was surviving a traumatic blimp crash and then a few years later a near-fatal car accident. Soon after, he began experiencing disequilibrium. After extensive medical testing, he received a diagnosis of Meniere's Disease. Meniere's Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that usually affects both hearing and balance; there is no cure. It's thought a blow to the head might contribute to Meniere's. Over time, he lost 70% hearing in his left ear but learned to manage it. It did make him re-evaluate his career, though.
Careful re-examination of his life led back to his old friend, the guitar. It was the best thing for stress reduction, which has shown to reduce the symptoms of Meniere's. While to some, the loss of hearing would be a hindrance to guitar playing. But as Robert puts it, "I had to learn to listen differently, really listen and adjust to hearing in mono." With his new adjustments to hearing loss, he further studied music theory and found this quest got him off the couch and feeling sorry for himself. While having something to strive for, he realized that he still had goals.
Robert Peacock's guitar playing embodies a melting pot of western swing, jazz, and rock. His substantive playing is strengthened by savvy ideas and a deep understanding of music theory and how it applies to guitar. All of this allows him to transcend the boundaries of genres into a genre of his own. He found that music gives the ability to overcome his disability and wishes for it to provide his listeners with the hope to overcome their issues in life.