Guitarist inspires while he plays

He is the master of chords and motivates anyone around him as his notes tell his story.

Amos Carroll, the bass guitarist for the Tallahassee band N’Spire, is also a modest man.

“The first thing that comes to mind when I put my fingers on the bass is that I hope I don’t miss a beat,” Carroll said.

N’Spire is a rhythm-and-blues band with eight to nine musicians. They travel across Florida and other states to spread their love for music.

“I’ve been in the group for about eight to nine years,” said Carroll. “I started messing with a guitar at 10 years of age. My daddy bought me a plastic red and white guitar. I broke it the same day he bought it for me.”

Carroll suffered a tragedy while he was a baby. He lost his fingers. With N’spire he plays the guitar with what he has left, nubs.

“It just happened. I was burned in a house fire,” Carroll said. “It was actually a fireplace. My grandmother had a fireplace that was leveled with the floor, they saw I was crawling and I crawled in hot ashes.”

He said his parents tried to save his fingers at the hospital but the doctors couldn't keep them attached to his hands.

“My dad tells me I had my fingers when I got to the hospital and he was sitting there one day as they were wrapping and unwrapping, and my fingers fell off,” he said. “But I’m still here.”

Carroll has two sons. His youngest coaches track and field at Lincoln High School.

Carroll has made an impact on many people, whether they are listeners, band members or random people that know his story.

Alonza Carroll, N’Spire’s lead guitarist and Amos’ cousin, says that regardless of the challenges that Carroll may face with his hands, he inspires fellow band members and others.

“He’s always been a big brother to me and he’s uplifting,” said Alonza. “Looking at what he does and talking to him is very inspirational to me.”

Alonza talked about traveling with Amos and how people in the audience are intrigued and inspired to see Amos performing.

“People are blown away because when they look at his hands and the spirit he has and the talent,” said Alonza Carroll. “They are really intrigued by Amos and that gives him the opportunity to speak to people.”

Amos makes it a priority not to let his hands hinder him when it comes to his music. He said that he has a tough time holding big glasses, opening water bottles and writing the letter “M.”

He lives by a motto that his father would always tell him:

“There was a man that had no shoes and he was upset until he went a little further with a man with no feet to put shoes on.”