Stu Nunnery

Audiences will enjoy a trained, experienced, successful and and highly entertaining
speasker and musical artist. I will bring bring original music, compelling stories, jumor and positive motivation with great energy at a grand pitch. Those with or without hearing or health issues will find my life's journey to be of great value in assessing and continuing their own jounreys.

Stu Nunnery is a noted writer and composer, international recording artist, musician, actor and activist. His various incarnations have taken him into successful careers in the music industry; into radio and television advertising; film, video and theater: and across the nation, speaking before audiences in government, business, education, food and agriculture and the health and consumer sectors.

In 1973, Stu released a self-titled LP on Evolution Records. Two songs from that album, “Madelaine” and “Sally from Syracuse” would reach the top 100 on the US Pop Charts. In 1974, another recording, “Lady It’s Time to Go,” became the #1 record in Brazil and the theme for one of Brazil’s most popular soap operas for more than two decades.

In 1976, Stu was signed to Epic/CBS Records and began a prolific career in the advertising jingle business where he served as writer, lead vocalist and/or ensemble singer on national advertising campaigns such as “I Love New York” and for such companies as Nationwide Insurance, McDonalds, Beneficial Finance, Budweiser Beer, General Motors trucks and Ford and Dodge cars and many others.
In 1978 Stu composed “I’m Walkin’ Right Down the Middle of Main Street USA” for Walt Disney Productions, a parade theme which remains today one of Disney’s signature musical performance pieces at the theme parks, for radio and television advertising, and on the Disney Sing Along programs.

Between 1978 and 1981, Stu suffered a serious bilateral hearing loss and loss of partial sight that would end his musical recording and performing careers for more than 35 years.

In 2013 he began a years-long journey to return to the arts he loved. Taking advantage of cutting-edge brain research, auditory training and focused listening exercises, Stu was able to improve his speech and musical pitch comprehension. Vocal work helped recover his voice and now programmed hearing aid technology and specialized ear monitors allow him to perform live and record in the studio once again.

In 2015, Stu was featured in Huffington Post in Rita Wilson’s “Voices of Strength” Campaign as one of 12 people chosen nationwide to tell their story about how they had overcome adversity to rebuild their life. Latin America’s largest magazine publisher Editora Abril featured Stu’s music success in Brazil some 40 years after in their VIP Magazine, calling Stu the “Brazilian Sugarman” after Sixto Rodriguez, whose story (“Searching for Sugarman”) won the Academy Award for best documentary in 2014, and closely mimics Stu’s own narrative.

Also in 2015, Stu repackaged and released his first album as a CD (“Deja S2”) and for download and began a series of live House Concerts as “works in progress.” In the ensuing years, these broadened into special performances and small concerts and in 2018 he re-entered the studio and began recording new songs for the first time in 40 years.

Along his journey, Stu has and appeared in and written articles for print, blogs and web publications such as “Hearing :Like Me” for Phonak Hearing Aids, “Hearing Tracker, and “Hearing Review.” He also has a byline on the Huffington Post and conducts workshops and live presentations to offer insights into his life and work and inspiration to others about how to negotiate the hard terrain of a lifetime with hearing loss.

For 2019, Stu is planning a full schedule of regular performances, additional recordings, and a trip to Brazil to perform for and meet his many fans who made his music popular. He will also speak to Brazil’s musicians and the more than 35 million citizens with hearing
loss.

Stu Nunnery is a graduate of Princeton University. He has studied piano, voice, acting, improvisation and public speaking in New York, Philadelphia and Providence, RI. Currently, he is a member of the Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss. For his activism in the hearing loss population, Stu is a Phonak “hEARo” and a “HearStrong Champion.”

Stu is currently completing a screen play about his life and his experiences with music and hearing loss.

I prefer to work close to and with my audiences, often face to face. A small raised platform or stage with podium are desired, though the room floor with a podium is acceptable as well.

When appropriate, I will provide musical instruments that need no amplification but will require electric outlets. I may use a Power Point presentation and will require a screen and projector. I also prefer to use the booker's laptop if available.

I will bring information and handouts about how audiences can find additional information about the themes I have presented.

Depending on distance, travel, accommodations and meals can be discussed at time of booking.

I’m happy to discuss these and other details at your request before booking.