Tony Meléndez is not your average guitarist. He was born without arms for one, but his talent and voice inspired millions. The touring musician bowled over fans worldwide with his gorgeous rendition of the timeless Beatles ballad “Let It Be” on his acoustic guitar. And the best part? Tony is not only a killer guitarist, but his voice sounds like honey and thunder. Singing and playing so soulfully is hard enough for any musician, but doing it with your feet shows an incredible level of talent.
Seeing how deftly Tony picks the notes with his right foot is really amazing. One can only imagine how many hours of dedicated playing it took to play it so cleanly. He has a satisfying groove to his playing, perfectly complementing his sonorous and passionate vocals. Fans called Tony an inspiration and the full package as a performer and then some, and The Music Man has to agree!
When Tony’s take on “Let It Be” was uploaded to YouTube, it drew 1.6 million views. Fans loved to hear the cover and added comments such as, “I have played guitar since I was 13 years old and now 62 and Tony is an inspiration and not just to guitar players/singers. This is another example of the human spirit and the unwillingness to give into the attitude that it can’t be done” and “His feet playing aside for a second, his voice stands alone. He’s the full package and then some.”
Tony has featured in a number of viral videos on YouTube. One of his most popular performances is his song “No Tengas Miedo.” He delivers quite a touching and emotional vocal part in this performance. His story of becoming a touring guitarist while not having any arms is so inspiring, but to pair that with such a powerful voice creates such incredible performances.
José Antonio Meléndez Rodríguez is a Nicaraguan-American singer-songwriter who performs under the name Tony Meléndez. Tony was born without arms on January 9, 1962, in Rivas, Nicaragua, and as of February 2026, he is 64 years old. He is now based in Branson, Missouri, where he lives with his wife. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that Tony became active as a guitarist and vocalist in 1985, when he was 23 and living in Los Angeles. Tony delivered one of his most notable performances in 1987, when he performed “Never Be the Same” for Pope John Paul II. The Pope was visibly moved by the performance, and he embraced Tony afterward. Tony tours regularly with his group, Tony Meléndez and the Toe Jam Band. He is also a motivational speaker and a published writer.