George Dennehy
Known as “that armless guy,” George Dennehy is a musician who plays his instruments with his feet. His performances often touch audiences so deeply, many are moved to tears.
“I believe that my music and message speak to people because it shows them someone who has had to overcome challenges and has made the best of what he was given,” George says. “I think that it causes them to reflect on their own lives and stories, reminding them that they, too, can overcome their own challenges.”
George, 32, was born in Romania but grew up in Ashland after being adopted by Sharon and Michael Dennehy.
“I first saw George’s newborn photo in an adoption magazine,” Sharon says. “Mike and I were thinking of adding to our family through adoption. We had three biological children at the time. The picture was blurred and grainy and said, ‘Boy born without arms desperately needs a loving home.’ When I saw that picture, I felt God moving in my heart and telling me that he wanted us to adopt him, and that George would be our son.”
The Dennehy family eventually totaled 13 children. “Three biological and 10 adopted from six different countries: the U.S., Romania, India, China, Ethiopia and Thailand,” Sharon says. “We have two sons who were born with no arms, some children with intellectual disabilities, autism and one with no limbs at all.”
“It was an amazing family to grow up in because we were all from different places, and we all came together in this one family — wonderful parents and siblings — growing up in a small town and church. It was a very special upbringing,” George says.
Now a singer and songwriter, George plays the cello, guitar, piano, bass guitar and basic drums. He’s shared the stage with national acts, appeared on television and radio, and released a CD of original music; his YouTube videos have hundreds of thousands of views. “Learning to play instruments was a turning point in my life, because it allowed me to see that even though I am different, I can still have talents and passions to pursue and to use those for the world,” George says.
His love for music began with a lesson at home when he was 8. “We recognized early on that George had an ear for music, so when our older children began taking Suzuki Strings lessons, I asked the teacher if she could possibly teach George as well,” Sharon says. “God provided a one-in-a-million teacher who was willing to teach George to play cello with his feet. This discipline taught him music” — well enough to play with regional orchestras — “and he [later] transferred that knowledge to playing the guitar, a much cooler instrument for a teenager.”
In 2012, during his senior year in high school, George competed in and won a “Richmond’s Got Talent” competition hosted by the University of Richmond. Later the same year, he performed at the annual Ashland Strawberry Faire, covering the Goo Goo Dolls’ song “Iris” on the guitar. He put a video on YouTube and then, on the advice of a friend, posted a link on what was then a fairly new social media site: Reddit. The post went viral, leading to international news coverage.
“That’s how it was seen by the Goo Goo Dolls, who invited George to play with them in concert, which caused George’s performances to go viral,” Sharon remembers.
In a new release called “Stronger,” George reflects that part of life is going through hard seasons and difficult times. “But going through those challenges are what make us stronger,” he says. “I certainly had seasons in my life when I felt discouraged — mostly in my teenage years. I always say that my biggest challenges in life weren’t physical, they were emotional. It was hard being different from all of the other kids. But mostly because of my faith, I was able to change my perspective and be thankful for my differences instead of being angry about them.”
George says he loves his adoptive family dearly, but while he was growing up, he couldn’t help being curious about his birth parents. He met them during a trip to Romania organized by a television show in 2012. “It was a very incredible experience, and [so was] being able to be in contact with them regularly,” he says, adding that he has cherished the memories even more since they died.
Now married and a father himself, George says he strives to be a positive influence in the world and set a good example for his two sons. He adds, “My hope for both of them is to grow up and be passionate about what they want to do with their lives … and to be a light in this world.”
As a keynote speaker, George pairs his music with motivational messages at schools, churches, corporations, nonprofits, major athletic events and other venues around the world. He has filmed a documentary and a TEDx Talk.
Claudia Carawan, music director at Unity Church of Bon Air, remembers hearing George speak and perform. He profoundly moved everyone there, she says. “Perhaps his greatest talent is his ability to inspire his audiences to believe that anything is possible.”
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