Todd Simpson is young man from a small town in Alabama. He has spent the last three years playing well over 400 shows, from small towns in the Mississippi Delta to the world famous Whisky A-Go-Go. Todd is living the his dream which is quite remarkable when you know the struggles he has faced daily. It was discovered at birth that Todd had a severe heart defect requiring two open heart surgeries, the first when he was only days old. Along with his heart defect he had other health issues as well. One of Todd's biggest issues was the inability to swallow or eat, he spent almost four years on a feeding tube and well over 3 years in the hospital. Todd was diagnosed with Variant DiGeorge Syndrome with severe immune deficiency when he was nine years old, requiring monthly IV treatments that he continues to this day. One of Todd' s biggest hurdles has been severe dyslexia which has prevented him from reading and writing, yet he has written over 200 songs, all in his head. Perhaps the most amazing part of Todd's story is that when he was 18 years old he picked up the guitar for the first time after watching a "Jimi Hendrix" video and played it as if he had been playing for years. He knows no notes, he sees colors when he plays, he describes it as, playing the colors, he never plays a song the same way because he said he never sees the colors exactly the same. Although Todd has a speech impediment, he sings without one. Perhaps because of his struggles he champions others who have to overcome huge obstacles. Todd has spoken at many schools and one-on-one with many young people trying to get his message out, being different is okay. Todd has been blessed to be able to share his music with so many people. There is something natural and pure about about Todd's performances. Todd says that all he knows to do is play what he feels. Todd's connection to his music is easy to see. Fans often become very emotional at Todd's shows. They often remark about how sincere he is. Todd's music is hard to put into one genre, but instead is a mixture of Blues, Soul, Rock, Funk, Jam Band and any other style that speaks to his heart. Just days after picking up the guitar, Todd's father, Wes, formed a band to back Todd. Todd dubbed the band, Mojo Child. Along with Wes (rhythm guitar), Corey Mitchell (bass), David Burks (drums), and Regi Yarbrough (keys and horns), Todd and the band create their music in a very unique way. Most of Todd's songs are played for the first time live on stage with no rehearsals or practice. Todd has the ability to write his songs in his head and convey his arrangements to the band without ever having played them. Music has allowed Todd to experience so many wonderful things. He has been able to share bills with many major artists that he grew up admiring. He also appeared in the movie "Lifted", where he plays himself and performs two of his original songs. Few artist are able to appeal to crowds as diverse as Todd can. Todd's music reaches people of diverse ages and races and appeals to fans of guitar driven music as well as fans of soulful heartfelt lyrics. Known around the south as a guitar prodigy capable of playing every way imaginable (right handed, left handed, behind the back, Jeff Healey style, etc. ) Todd often gets lost in the music. This passion is what leads many fans to refer to his performances as The Todd Simpson Experience. For all of the guitar prowess that Todd is known for, there is much more to his music. Todd is raw and passionate and most of all, real. He is not a fan of overproduced and manufactured music. His music heroes, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, and James Brown, to name a few, weren't perfect in a classical sense, but as Todd likes to say, they were "spiritual". Todd's dream is to make music that touches people. Maybe to help them forget about their troubles for a little while, or maybe to help someone that has obstacles to overcome to realize that God has a plan for everyone. Todd often says that music is not his gift, that his gifts are his "disabilities" which he now sees as "abilities" and music is a catalyst to get that message out. The lyrics to his song "Life Is A Blessing" are autobiographical; .Life is a blessing and it can be took away and you don't have to be old and grey. Oh, but what a blessing we had today.
