==== To his good fortune, Carter C.C. Collins has overcome the pain and challenges of early childhood abandonment, abject poverty, the terror of foster homes and a compromised education. Instead of allowing a chaotic childhood to extinguish his spirit, Collins triumphed over systemic oppression and achieved a successful career through music. For 28 years he recorded and/or performed as a percussionist with a number of world renowned artists, including Lalo Schifrin, Stevie Wonder, Janis Ian, Tower of Power, and Leonard Cohen. His accomplishments also include accompanying the late Richie Havens, Tim Buckley, Laura Nyro, and Kenny Rankin.
In 1981, Carter moved to Europe where he segued from musician to events producer, mounting several international dance and music festivals in Vienna and Berlin until he began losing his eyesight in 1985.
Now totally blind, Collins is innovating environmental initiatives that have the potential to transform the electrical grid, provide good paying jobs, stimulate the economy, and reverse our nation’s stubborn addiction to fossil fuels. For example, Carter has proposed clean energy alternatives for both, the Keystone XL Pipeline project and the California High Speed Rail program. In Hawaii, his proposed sixty-five mile bike path surfaced entirely of drive-on glass solar panels and water catchment is currently being reviewed by Big Island politicians, utilities and green energy organizations.
He also serves the San Francisco community as a board member of Call of the Sea (www.callofthesea.org), a California-based nonprofit organization that each year, trains over 5,000 young people in sailing and maritime skills.
Rounding out his ambitions, Collins is committed to the founding of a new world prize. Entitled "The Ascent", it will be the first online award of its caliber. The prize will be created by members of the world community, ages young through golden, and presented annually to environmentalists, peace builders, and humanitarians deemed worthy of global recognition. ====
==== To his good fortune, Carter C.C. Collins has overcome the pain and challenges of early childhood abandonment, abject poverty, the terror of foster homes and a compromised education. Instead of allowing a chaotic childhood to extinguish his spirit, Collins triumphed over systemic oppression and achieved a successful career through music. For 28 years he recorded and/or performed as a percussionist with a number of world renowned artists, including Lalo Schifrin, Stevie Wonder, Janis Ian, Tower of Power, and Leonard Cohen. His accomplishments also include accompanying the late Richie Havens, Tim Buckley, Laura Nyro, and Kenny Rankin.
In 1981, Carter moved to Europe where he segued from musician to events producer, mounting several international dance and music festivals in Vienna and Berlin until he began losing his eyesight in 1985.
Now totally blind, Collins is innovating environmental initiatives that have the potential to transform the electrical grid, provide good paying jobs, stimulate the economy, and reverse our nation’s stubborn addiction to fossil fuels. For example, Carter has proposed clean energy alternatives for both, the Keystone XL Pipeline project and the California High Speed Rail program. In Hawaii, his proposed sixty-five mile bike path surfaced entirely of drive-on glass solar panels and water catchment is currently being reviewed by Big Island politicians, utilities and green energy organizations.
He also serves the San Francisco community as a board member of Call of the Sea (www.callofthesea.org), a California-based nonprofit organization that each year, trains over 5,000 young people in sailing and maritime skills.
Rounding out his ambitions, Collins is committed to the founding of a new world prize. Entitled "The Ascent", it will be the first online award of its caliber. The prize will be created by members of the world community, ages young through golden, and presented annually to environmentalists, peace builders, and humanitarians deemed worthy of global recognition. ====