Oklahoma country singer-songwriter Cutter Elliott donates guitar at School for the Blind

Muskogee, Oklahoma — Oklahoma School for the Blind students were treated to a free concert and their Jazz Band received a new guitar — thanks to Cutter Elliott, a singer-songwriter and rising star in Oklahoma country music.

(https://cutterelliott.com/)

Elliott, age 27 from Norman, and his guitar player-producer-manager Paul Reeves wanted to give away a new Yamaha acoustic guitar during a live performance that aired on KUSH Radio in Cushing.

(https://www.1600kush.com/)

KUSH morning host and general manager Molly Payne suggested giving the guitar instead to Oklahoma School for the Blind students.

“We wanted to be sure that guitar got played, not just slid under somebody’s bed,” Payne said.

“OSB turned out to perfect place to reach that goal.”

Elliott and Reeves performed and presented the guitar to thrilled students on OSB’s auditorium stage in Muskogee last month.

OSB students and faculty cheered after each original song from Elliott’s first recording “Heartache Waiting to Happen.” The album was recorded in Nashville with a star cast of session musicians and released digitally.

(https://open.spotify.com/track/5EI91EGG4LMQL3g2hymvO2)

Elliott spoke briefly at OSB about his heroes George Strait, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard, and the challenges he faces with his cerebral palsy, autism and vision and hearing losses.

Doctors told Cutter Elliott’s parents their son would never walk or talk – much less sing or graduate from high school or college.

Today, he’s accomplished those things and he has become a spokesperson for Autism Speaks, in part because autism caused him to fixate on music.

(https://www.autismspeaks.org/)

“My mother had a saying, ‘Can’t never could.’” Elliott said.

“Anytime I’d say I can’t do this, I can’t do that, that’s what she’d say.”

He added: “Today, I can sing, play guitar and on occasion I play a little golf.”

During his performance at OSB, Elliot said, “I want to encourage everybody here to find whatever it is they love to do and do it the best they can. If everybody does that, we can change the world.”

Elliot is currently writing songs for his second recording and preparing for a national radio tour in February and March 2023. Cutter performed at the Oklahoma Opry’s New Year’s Eve Eve Fundraiser & Concert on December 30.

(https://www.ohfo.org/)

Cutter plans to visit 65 radio stations and hopes to meet radio hosts like Molly Payne who played a role in his guitar giveaway and new friendships with Oklahoma School for the Blind fans.

Find out more about Cutter Elliott at cutterelliott.com or contact his manager, Paul Reeves at 615-719-5067.

Oklahoma School for the Blind is a division of Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. For more information, call OSB toll-free at 877-229-7136 or visit osb.k12.ok.us.

Note: Darla Shelden is a senior reporter for Community News. Pat McGuigan, publisher of CapitolBeatOK.com, adapted this news story for posting here.