Broadway/Classical
Ronan Tynan

A founding member of the Irish Tenors, Ronan Tynan's story would be inspiring even if he'd never pursued a musical career. Born in Dublin, Tynan spent three years in the hospital after a difficult birth that claimed the life of his twin brother. His lower legs and feet never completely developed, leaving him disabled; worse, at age 20, Tynan was forced to have both lower legs amputated after complications arising from a car accident. Undaunted, Tynan was walking on prosthetic limbs just weeks afterward; he graduated from medical school with a specialization in orthopedic sports injuries, and also designed prosthetic feet. In addition, Tynan became an accomplished athlete, setting numerous world records in track-and-field events for his amputee class. In the meantime, he sang on an amateur level until winning an award at Dublin's prestigious Feis Ceoil singing festival in 1992. He developed rapidly; in 1994, he was accepted into England's Royal Opera School. Tynan issued his first solo album, My Life Belongs to You, in Ireland in 1998, and it was a best-sellier. Later that year, he was invited to participate in the Irish Tenors project; the trio achieved international popularity through recordings and TV specials shown in America on PBS. Splitting time between Dublin and Manhattan, Tynan published his autobiography in 2001. The next year, The Impossible Dream came out, followed by Ronan in 2005, which marked his departure from the Irish Tenors. In 2006, The Dawning of the Day, a collection of religiously themed songs, was released. Ronan continues to tour the world.