X Ambassadors’s Casey Harris Joins My No Barriers Podcast

It was a pleasure having blind keyboardist Casey Harris of X Ambassadors join me and special guest co-host, Antoinette Lee Toscano, for an incredible No Barriers Podcast (EP 143 – links to the show are at the bottom of this post). 

 

I met Casey in 2017 when X Ambassadors performed at our No Barriers Summit in Tahoe one memorable evening. I especially enjoyed hearing their hit song, Renegades! The heartfelt lyrics “Long live the Pioneers … go forth and have no fear” resonated extra hard that night.

 

A dramatic black and white photo of Casey on stage performing live.
A dramatic black and white photo of Casey on stage performing live.
X Ambassadors playing in front of a packed house.
X Ambassadors playing in front of a packed house.

That same year, the band partnered with No Barriers to launch the Renegade Fund, a scholarship project providing opportunities for underprivileged youth, veterans with disabilities, and people from all walks of life to enroll in our transformative programs.

In 2020, they joined our Summit Diversity Panel, and in 2021 shared words of wisdom for our No Barriers Nuggets campaign, emphasizing that it takes perseverance to harness hardship and turn it into power.

Black and white photo. Casey holding his cane beside lead vocalist Sam Harris & drummer Adam Levin.
Black and white photo. Casey holding his cane beside lead vocalist Sam Harris & drummer Adam Levin.

Having Casey back for this hour-long podcast was remarkable. We dug into his childhood and challenges as a blind person, the band’s early days and growth, how he passed time with family during the pandemic, and what diversity and inclusion mean to him.

X Ambassadors have been longtime supporters of orgs and causes like the Muscular Dystrophy Association, ACLU, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the LGBTQ+ community. We are so grateful to have them on our No Barriers Rope Team, too! Thank you, Casey.

Sam, Casey, and Adam on stage with No Barriers Co-Founder Tom Lillig at the 2017 Summit.
Sam, Casey, and Adam on stage with No Barriers Co-Founder Tom Lillig at the 2017 Summit.
Casey’s podcast graphic.
Casey’s podcast graphic.

Folks, you can listen to EP 143 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any podcast platform.

If you want to learn more about Antoinette, a US Army Vet turned backcountry badass, writer, speaker, and advocate for people living with TBI, PTSD, and other physical and mental health challenges, search for EP 121.

Photos courtesy of No Barriers, X Ambassadors, and Anna Lee Media.