Scott MacIntyre said he's excited about coming to San Angelo to share his music and his thoughts on overcoming obstacles. The singer, songwriter and one of the finalists from the eighth season of TV's "American Idol" is scheduled to be the keynote speaker and performer for the San Angelo Independent School District's convocation at Foster Communications Coliseum on Tuesday.
MacIntyre, a Marshall and Fulbright scholar, was the first blind performer on "American Idol." His message is simple. "There are always going to be challenges," he said, "but you really have to believe in yourself and have faith when taking that first step to overcome them."
He prefers to speak on stage with a piano so that he can emphasize his words with music. "I love having a piano up there with me. It's kind of like my PowerPoint," MacIntyre said.
It's been two years since MacIntyre has toured in Texas, and he said that fans from smaller towns tend to be his most enthusiastic, so he will probably perform some original music and some old favorites from "American Idol."
The singer, whose book "By Faith, Not By Sight" will be published in May, said his message matches well with the San Angelo district's goal of striving for excellence and exceeding expectations.
"It's really about not selling yourself short and how reaching your goals affects other people around you," he said. Jamie Highsmith, public information officer for SAISD, said that the district selected MacIntyre as the convocation speaker because his story of perseverance will be an inspiration as the new school year begins.
Central High School and Lake View High School Junior ROTC detachments will provide the color guard, and the combined high school bands and orchestras will present patriotic music. Logan Wright, a recent Central graduate and current music major at Baylor University, also will perform.