MISSION: Disarm a disability
MOMENT OF TRUTH: As a kid on Chicago’s South Side, Duncan struggled with reading. A teacher suspected Duncan was dyslexic, but his parents told him he simply wasn’t trying hard enough. So he tried harder and settled for mediocre grades. But when he discovered the same problems in trying to read music-the black notes on a staff would jumble just like the text on a page-he was devastated.
BACKSTORY: He’d had several music teachers who figured he wasn’t interested, when in truth Duncan wanted desperately to learn. But then he realized he could play almost anything by ear, and songs kept coming into his head fully orchestrated. So he gave up on lessons and composed constantly at his electronic keyboard, recording as he went along. He sent his work to a music publisher and had a contract when he was 19. Duncan eventually composed and produced for his idols, including Earth, Wind and Fire. But when asked to tour with them he said no, unable to admit that he could never retain a concert’s worth of material. In 1998 he started Gamebeat Studios, which has produced ad jingles for Wal-Mart, the Illinois Lottery and other clients. The whole time, he feared being “found out.”
OUTCOME: Duncan recently decided to stop keeping his dyslexia a secret. He no longer worries that it will hurt him or his career. Indeed, he now credits much of his success to it, because it forced him to develop his creativity.
PAYOFF: “I finally realized this wasn’t something to be ashamed of-if you look at the disability and look at what I’ve accomplished, there is no reason to hide it.”
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dchen@tribune.com
