Moondog

Louis Thomas Hardin, known professionally as Moondog, was an American composer, musician, performer, music theoretician, poet and inventor of musical instruments. Largely self-taught as a composer, his prolific work drew inspiration from jazz, classical, and Native American music, which he became familiar with as a child, and Latin American music. His strongly rhythmic, contrapuntal pieces and arrangements later influenced composers of minimal music, in particular, American composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass. Moondog was blind from the age of 16 and often found on Sixth Avenue, between 52nd and 55th Streets in New York City, selling records, composing, and performing poetry. He was recognized as 'the Viking of Sixth Avenue' by passersby and residents who were not aware of his musical career.