Local nonprofit Special Kids announced that Gordon Mote, blind pianist for Bill Gaither, will be the guest performer at the Annual Special Kids Friendraiser Banquet to be held on September 4 at World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro.

Mote, blind since birth, has shared the stage with such popular performers as Martina McBride, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood and famed Grand Ole Opry star, Porter Wagoner. While performing on stage with many talented vocalists, Mote also became one of the most accomplished, sought-after recording studio session players in Nashvile, earning eight nominations as Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year by the Academy of Country Music and receiving the Award in 2009 and 2011.

“We are so excited to have Gordon Mote with us this year,” said Stephanie Folkmann, director of development at Special Kids. “We are sure that he will bring just the right amount of entertainment paired with an inspiring message to drive home what Special Kids is all about.”

Mote will not be the only guest with a special talent. This year’s feature child for the banquet, three-year-old Christian Buchanan of Woodbury (pictured to the right), is a music prodigy in his own right. Buchanan is a Special Kids’ patient that has become famous around the world for his rare condition. In 2011, Buchanan was born with a Tessier cleft lip and palate and cleft eyes, leaving him only to be able to see light and dark. A year later, Buchanan’s mother Lacey Buchanan created a home-made video about Christian’s story that went viral within weeks and reached millions of viewers. Today, Lacey and Christian Buchanan have over 220,000 Facebook fans who follow videos of the young Mozart picking out the G-scale on the piano.

To join Special Kids for this very special event, tables of eight are available for $800 or individual seats for $100 at specialkidstn.com/friendraiser-banquet. Proceeds from the event help children like Christian receive therapy and nursing care from Special Kids.

Special Kids is a Christian therapy and nursing center for children with special needs. The Murfreesboro-based ministry started with one child in 1998 and has grown to serve over 2,600 children from 18 counties in middle Tennessee. For more information about Special Kids, please visit specialkidstn.com or call 615.893.4892.

Here is a video of Christian that was recorded at age two in January of this year: