As a special guest of the U.S.–Vietnam Friendship Festival in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday, guitarist Tony Memmel, who was born with only one hand but is self-taught on the guitar, has arrived for his performance.

Not only overcoming his own challenges, Anthony Joseph Memmel, who goes by Tony Memmel on stage, also performs with his band, teaches music to students with physical disabilities, and serves as an art envoy for the U.S. Department of State.

Born with an underdeveloped left arm, Tony Memmel describes his own body in a positive way.

"You know, I was 100 percent made to play guitar, with the perfect spot to hold the pick!” he often says in his inspirational talks, pointing to the hollow on his left arm near the elbow and likening it to a space specially designed for the guitar pick.

The singer and musician has participated in programs organized by the U.S. Department of State and consulates all over the world, spreading his music and positive energy to audiences through genuine, real-life stories.

Two days before the Ho Chi Minh City show, Tony Memmel and his bandmates, Alexander Hayes Nixon and Jonathon Michael Terwilliger, who go by Alex and Jon onstage, spent time rehearsing and exploring the city, which they were visiting for the first time.

While Tony Memmel was captivated by Vietnamese pho and banh mi, Alex was impressed by the vibrant pace of life and the bustling sea of motorbikes, something he had never seen before.

Jon, meanwhile, was particularly fond of coffee, especially egg coffee, and delighted in strolling along Nguyen Van Binh Book Street.

In an interview with Tuoi Tre News before the rehearsal on Friday evening, Tony Memmel said he wanted not only to perform music but also to witness the enduring friendship between Vietnam and the U.S., something he and his band hope to share with family, friends, and followers back home.

The band would bring songs rooted in American tradition, blending folk, rock, and pop with its unique style, the trio revealed.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and readability by Tuoi Tre News:

What do you think your performance will contribute to the friendship between the two peoples?

Tony: My goal has always been to give 110 percent in every concert and then let go of control over what happens next. We hope our message is empowering and encouraging, creating a ripple effect. We hope people feel excited and encouraged, and maybe they get to know some people from the United States a little better than before, in the same way that we're trying to get to know people from Vietnam better than we knew before. That’s the power of music: sharing songs can spark meaningful conversations and even new friendships.

Jon: It’s about the connections you make. Two days ago, I heard a familiar song sung in Vietnamese, it created a connection. Playing songs people feel familiar with encourages them to talk to us, make new friends, or carry that inspiration through their week. Even at work, a song can bring back happy memories and positivity.

So what is the key message that you want the Vietnamese audience to walk away with after watching your performance?

Tony: The key message is encouragement. I was born with one hand and taught myself to play guitar. Just by sharing my music, like in my work with the U.S. Department of State and consulates around the world, I hope to show that everyone has a unique purpose, talent, and ability. My goal is to inspire people to apply themselves and use their gifts to better their homes, communities, and, hopefully, the world.

You said your body was “100 percent made to play guitar.” Where does that positivity come from?

Tony: The positivity comes from a deep-rooted and instilled faith from my family, my parents, and the way they encouraged me from a young age to look at each day as an opportunity to work hard, to see challenges not as insurmountable obstacles, but as things that, if I applied myself, thought creatively, and tried to find new solutions, could be overcome.

I also have people who are not encouraging, but that is part of the growth process too.

It’s even more challenging as you play guitar left-handed.

Tony: Yes, learning to play the guitar was a huge challenge. The story I tell is that I had this goal, this dream. Music opened up my imagination in new ways to play the guitar but I had never even seen anyone play guitar with one hand before. So that meant spending time at the library, reading books about guitars, and watching every single person I could see playing the guitar, seeing what they were doing, and saving up to buy my first guitar because I didn't have one.

And then after I did that, the sounds that I was making were not what I had heard on the radio, so how do I create some sort of tool or cast or device that would help me to make the sounds that I was dreaming of? So that was another eight years of practice to build the cast that I use today. That was a long time of practice, but I've found that story has also helped me in other areas of life and discipline. Anything you are really passionate about or want to be good at is going to demand your time, your thoughts, your attention and creativity in unique ways.

And that's something that music has taught me far beyond just playing the guitar. It's taught me those deep core life lessons too.

What makes you proud the most about yourself?

Tony: I think proud maybe is a word that I wouldn't think of with this, maybe it's a different word: endurance. I'm really glad when I have the opportunity to be here today. I'm so glad I didn't quit the guitar, because it was so hard, and it didn't sound good for so long, and now I'm getting to do it professionally playing around the world. Through that, I love to share a message of endurance to people who like to hang in there: that it's worth it.

There's things we change in our lives, things that we don't pursue forever, but when it is the thing that you kind of at a core know you're supposed to be doing, I really want to encourage people to continue on with, to keep going and to never give up.

For Alex and Jon, what makes you want to work with Tony?

Alex: I think Tony had an unconventional story and a story of encouragement and hope and capability over disability, which is a central theme to our message and performance.

Jon: I was very inspired by his message. Outreach has always been something that's been very close to my heart, and so whether it's touring across the United States and being able to inspire others and encourage others, I think it was.

I think everybody has an obstacle of their own, so whatever that may look like, it's always plausible. With the right work ethic and encouragement, you can do it.