The truth is that Michael Amidei shouldn’t be able to do what he’s doing.
Raised by two musician parents, Michael took early to the instruments laying around the house, singing and creating songs or melodies as though it came naturally. At six, he fell in love with the piano. At fourteen, the guitar and bass.
But between those times came one of Michael’s most formative periods. During a knockdown, drag-out fight at school, Michael’s left arm simply snapped as he put it into the air.
At first, the doctors thought that it was a torn muscle. Then, they became increasingly mystified. Eventually, they discovered that Michael had a form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma in his left arm, which had weakened the bone.
Given one percent or less chance of survival (if his arm was amputated), Michael was put into an intensive protocol of chemotherapy. After many treatments, surgeries, and setbacks, including a coma induced by a reaction to the chemotherapy, Michael’s cancer went into remission.
But the good news didn’t stop there. Because of being introduced to visionary surgeon Ross Wilkins of The Limb Preservation Society, Michael was able to keep his arm through a procedure called a “limb salvage”. Even more, Michael became the first human to receive a biodegradable chemotherapy sponge implant in his body.
As part of the recovery process, Michael was invited by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to travel to Los Angeles and spend time on the sets of “Cheers”, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, and “Growing Pains”. It was there that he was able to meet creatives such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Patrick Stewart, Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, and Kirk Cameron and watch them work. He found himself inspired to create in his own way once he returned back to Denver.
The years since have found Michael playing with a wide variety of artists and genres, spanning from rock to opera to western to country (there is a difference), ambient, and beyond.
Now, Michael is a member of the world-famous Flying W Wranglers, records with the rock band Goldcase and performs weekly with the worship band “Infinite Grace”. He also is the host of “This Business Of Music & Poetry”, “The Michael Amidei Show”, and “World Poetry Open Mic” podcasts.