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Some Milwaukee area residents going about their normal Monday morning routine today might find themselves amazed by the unorthodox musical styling on a local morning show.

Waukesha native Tony Memmel, 22, will be making his second appearance on "The Blend" this morning to promote this new album. Though local talent appearing in this format to play is quite common - the way Memmel goes about playing is completely his own.

Memmel was born without a left forearm and hand, but with the help of duct tape he is able to play guitar. But the trusty adhesive wasn't the only tool needed to allow Memmel to play; a bit of work (elbow grease, if you will) was necessary too.

“I really wanted to play and I wasn’t exactly quite sure how that would work," Memmel said "I borrowed my mom’s guitar and began learning how to play reverse, upside down on the instrument and learning all the chords upside down.”

The struggle began at 13, but with practice Memmel was able to assemble a catalouge of original folk songs. In late 2006, Memmel put those songs to work by playing shows regularly. 

"I started playing at the open mic (at UW-Oshkosh, where he is now a senior) in the fall of ’06," Memmel said. "It’s been a fast growth period for my solo music and being able to play it live.”

Since that time, Memmel has accumulated a growing fan base in both the Oshkosh and Milwaukee areas. Both his unique take on life and uncommon playing style are evident in his live shows, as well as on his first album "The Tale of an Underdog" which was released earlier this month.

Memmel hopes others can find value in his joy of music.

“It’s a really cool thing to see that you’re in the act of potentially inspiring someone," Memmel said. "I love just looking out into the crowd and seeing people who are really engaged in what I’m doing and what I’m playing. It means a lot to see people interested.”

Though he hopes to be a source of inspiration for listeners, he wants his music to speak louder than his physical appearance.

“I am aware that it is part of who I am and I’m not afraid to talk about it of have that be the reason why somebody would recognize me playing," Memmel said. "I put a lot of time and effort into my songwriting craft and trying to be a talented guitar player, piano player, singer and writer. The most important thing to me is writing good songs and (to) have that be a main focus of what I do.” 

Upon his appearance on "The Blend" this morning, Memmel will also play a Milwaukee CD release show at Art Bar in Riverwest at 8 p.m. tonight.

If his upbeat personality and diverse brand of music aren't a testament to dedication, let his mentality be.

“Go for it. Just do it," Memmel said. "In my instance, I had to figure it all out. Don’t rely on what anyone else has ever done before to be your guidelines. Maybe just do something new.”