Greg Brayton

I began listening to Greg make music thirty years ago. I have recently connected with him through recovery. His Gratitude CD is a real testimony to his love for and trust in God, even in the face of adversity. Greg's musical talent and unwavering faith shine through on this uplifting CD.
- Jenny R.


For six years, I pastored at the Coldwater United Methodist Church, where Greg Brayton was one of the creators and leaders of worship music. For me, one of the greatest joys was the privilege of working with Greg. Greg's life and his struggles, his recovery, and his faith, are all guiding forces in his life – always inspiring and challenging me in my own faith walk, just by being himself. Since leaving the congregration, my soul really misses Greg's music. He has a gift from God and he uses it for God's work.
- Pastor Betty Smith
Grand Ledge, Michigan


Greg Brayton's CD, 'Gratitude,' expresses a lively, dynamic faith that's unafraid to sometimes question or even complain but always ready to trust and praise our God. . . I believe it will inspire, encourage and console many for years to come.
- William McCann
- www.sunlightofthespirit.com

Greg Brayton of Brayton and Sons Productions of Coldwater, Michigan, runs a full service recording studio, doing everything from radio jingles to full demo and CD production. He knows that he must use the latest in digital audio technology to bring out the best in his client's recordings. He's also quite comfortable with the reality that his blindness must never prevent him from competing in his chosen field.

Until a couple of years ago, Greg operated most of his recording technology by feel and intuition. By sheer persistence and tenacity, qualities which will always benefit any disabled person, Greg worked as independently as possible and got results. But the price was many wasted hours and an elevated sense of frustration.

For the past couple of years, Greg's been using a mainstream program called Cakewalk Pro Audio which converts his PC into a multi-track recording studio. The key to gaining access to Cakewalk has been the CakeTalking scripts and tutorial from Dancing Dots. CakeTalking customizes the JAWS for Windows screen reader to deliver transparent access to Cakewalk's functions. The result: Greg can spend his time creating instead of trouble-shooting. Greg's just like any other creative musician. He'd much rather spend his time recording a hot guitar solo, singing some background or adding just the right audio effect to his project than trying to figure out just where his cursor is! For a sample of some of Greg's work, go to www.gbrayton.com.
- National Resource Center For Blind Musicians

March 4, 2010

Many musicians, speaking in heady terms about the lofty prowess of music, will tell you that they play by feel, with nothing but their heart and gut to guide them. Unlike many of them, Greg Brayton means it. He has no other choice.

The 54-year-old Coldwater man was born blind. He cannot see the fret board on which he dances dizzying country-blues licks, nor can he see the six strings around which he skips with a nimble picking hand, pulling a heartfelt melody from warm, acoustic guitars.

"I've played for 45 years now, so there's quite a bit of experience there," Brayton said. "But it's just a matter of feel, you know. I've got the music in my head and in my heart and in my soul and I was able to translate those feelings to my fingers and make it work for me."

A self-described mischievous, gregarious go-getter, Brayton says in his Web site biography that he didn't always see his gifts -- the ear for perfect pitch, the ability to write entire songs on his head and play them without practice -- as gifts from a higher power, and he once squandered them. Playing in a rock band called Blindman's Bluff around the Midwest for more than eight years, Brayton drank heavily and blames his lack of success on drunken, bad behavior.

But then, about seven years ago, doctors diagnosed Brayton with cancer and the treatment made it impossible for him to keep food down. So he was fed intravenously, through a bag of vitamin-infused mush.

"My wife would spend a half hour to 45 minutes every night, putting vitamins in this bag I had to carry around 12 hours every day," Brayton said. "But it gave me the opportunity to sit out on my swing and pray, meditate, listen to what God had to offer. It was awful, but I felt like I was closer to God than I had been in a long time."

Through Alcoholics Anonymous' 12-step program, Brayton became clean, and so did his music. Still playing over the neck -- which he does because he learned to play guitar with a broken arm that made it difficult to get his arm under the neck, as is usually done -- Brayton's music is bluesy, country-inspired gospel music. It's music that fuses the country tunes his parents listened to with the songs of Battle Creek's Del Shannon, who had the 1961hit "Little Runaway", as well as the likes of Paul Simon and Jimi Hendrix -- whom Brayton says are his biggest influences.

But above all the soulful clamor, Brayton says he hopes his music carries a message of spiritual hope.

"I can't presume to know what people think of me," he said humbly. "Hopefully, they're listening to the message, the words, and hopefully they realize it's primarily God using me to do something and to show people that despite a limitation, there's a lot that you can do if you open up your heart and let God guide you through it."

Justin A. Hinkley

Justin A. Hinkley can be reached at 966-0698 or jhinkley@gannett.com. - The Battle Creek Enquirer

Greg Brayton is blind, has cancer, is on chemo and just completed a killer album. Brayton is a guitarist for God tearing up bass tracks, lead solos and acoustic pickin's. This is all in an effort to get right with the Lord and to get us to do so too. Don't wanna do that? Fine because you're "Free To Believe." Can't stand Christian music? Well, then don't listen to "The Lord's Voice." Gonna do it on your own? No need for "Penny And A Prayer." But if you are ready to "Consider It All Joy" Greg Brayton will give you almost twenty solid reasons in song to say that Jesus is your savior, The Holy Spirit your inspiration and God the Father the creator of your entire being. Sing with Greg! Open your eyes, heart, mind, spirit and soul to music that will take you home. - Amazon

Greg Brayton's newest album is also his best. In the year and a half it took to write and record the songs, Greg's cancer began to be a concern resulting in a return to chemotherapy. The songs written and sung at that time reflect that sad fact with a certain frailness to the voice supported by a certainty of faith in God. That sound is amazing and hits the heart ringing with the truth of the greatness of God, the saving grace of Jesus and the support of the Holy Spirit. If you need help carrying your cross, God will speak to you through Greg Brayton in a way that will open you up to the knowing that with the Lord the yoke is easy and the burden is light. - Digstation