By Greg Wilson
 
Within the stuttering community, the ability of persons who stutter to sing fluently is quite well documented. Famous singers Ed Sheeran, Mel Tillis, Carly Simon, Bill Withers, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Scatman John, Jason Gray, Kendrick Lamar and Ann Wilson all struggled with fluency despite having award-winning singing voices. 
 
Their story is all too familiar for Frank Dimitri.
 
On June 22, 2014, Frank had the opportunity to appear on NBC’s America’s Got Talent show, and blew away the judges with his version of Frank Sinatra’s “I’ve Got the World on a String” – earning him a standing ovation from the crowd and the judges.
 
Judge Howie Mandel praised Frank for his performance, quizzing him on why it took so long to be discovered. 
 
Frank responded, “Well, I always wanted to be a singer but I stutter a lot. It’s an emotional thing, there are times I can talk and talk and talk and I won’t stutter … When I was a kid, I stuttered a lot, so I never had the confidence to really do it.” The four judges unanimously voted in favor of Frank!
 
But things weren’t always so rosy for Frank. He told us his story during an email interview shortly after his performance on television. 
 
Frank was born in Niagara Falls, New York, and makes his home in Black Canyon City, Arizona, now that he is retired. He was a bartender by trade, but his passion was to be a singer. Frank is 74 years old, and he has struggled with a stutter since he was seven. 
 
When he was younger, his stutter stopped him from making friends. Like so many, he vividly recalls how other children made fun of him. “It hurt me. I got into fights,” Frank remembers.
 
Nevertheless, Frank was always a pretty good singer. “My stuttering never affected my singing. In fact, singing is the only time I could express my feelings and how I felt in words,” he added.
 
Frank says his appearance on American’s Got Talent is his second biggest accomplishment. “My greatest accomplishment is learning that sometimes you have to make fun of yourself and have the drive to do what you want even if you fail sometimes along the way.” He also says he was a pretty good bartender!
 
“I want the children who stutter to never, never, never give up. Find what you like to do and find your God-given talent and go after it. And to all the parents of children who stutter, never make fun of a stuttering child, always show them your unconditional love, and be on the lookout for your child’s special talent.”
 
Right now, Frank Dimitri has the world on a string! 
 
From the Fall 20414 Newsletter